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CHICAGO -- John Danks wants to show he can be a reliable starter again. Hows this for evidence? Danks pitched three-hit ball over eight innings for his first victory in more than a year, and the Chicago White Sox won for just the second time in 12 games, beating the surging Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Saturday. "I want to be a stopper," Danks said. "I want to be a guy that goes out there and can be depended on to give us as good a chance to win as anybody." He did just that, and he got just enough support in the end. Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko homered. Alex Rios drove in the go-ahead run, and the White Sox handed the Athletics just their fourth loss in 22 games. Dunn connected leading off the second to tie the score at 1-all, and it stayed that way until the White Sox scored three against the struggling Sean Doolittle (3-1) in the eighth. Alejandro De Aza led off with an infield single and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Alexei Ramirez before Rios broke the tie with a single to centre. Konerko followed with a two-run drive to left. "The ball Konerko hit was pretty much off his shoetops," said Doolittle, whos allowed 10 runs in his last 3 2-3 innings. "So its kind of, today they just beat me and I have to tip my hat to them. The rally made a winner of Danks (1-2), who struck out six and walked one in his fourth start. He retired the final 21 batters he faced on the way to his first win since he beat the Cubs on May 19 last season. That also turned out to be the final start of the year for Danks, who had surgery in August to repair a capsule tear and remove debris in his rotator cuff and biceps. "This is more indicative of what you would want to see," manager Robin Ventura said. "Hes a competitor always, but with the ability to throw and have location and keep guys off balance and have a feel for the game. When youre not quite right, he doesnt have as good a feel for it as he does in the last two starts." Danks won a career-high 15 games for the White Sox in 2010 and hasnt reached that level since then. His first three starts were a bit up and down, but this was more like it. Never mind that his command of the fastball werent quite there. He had his curve working, and that was enough to lower his ERA from 5.63 to 4.13. "His velocity is climbing, it looks like, as he goes, but hes definitely pitching with less velocity than hes had when it was years ago," Konerko said. "But that can be a good thing if he pitches now and learns to do some things that he might have to do. Then if he gets back to where hes going to get to -- which Im sure he will -- now you have both weapons." Addison Reed worked a scoreless ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances. It was a big improvement after giving up five runs in a non-save opportunity against Seattle on Wednesday. Tommy Milone went seven innings for Oakland, allowing one run and four hits, but did not figure in the decision. He struck out seven, walked one, and is 3-0 in his past five starts. "I was just trying to match what Danks was doing," he said. "He was going out there throwing strikes and getting us out. To end his night he retired 21 in a row that was pretty impressive. I was trying to match him and keep our team in the game." NOTES: Ventura expects to fulfil his contract and has no plans to quit if the White Sox overhaul their roster. Hes in the second season of a three-year deal, and his team entered Saturdays game last in the AL Central at 25-34. "There, for one reason or another, are whispers (that) because its going like this, Im not going to come back," he said. "Thats the farthest thing from the truth. For me, Im in it for as long as Im in it and you go from there. A situation like this, Id be ashamed to walk away just because its tough. I think thats part of being in it with these guys -- that Im here as much as they are as far as turning it around and being ready to go." ... Ventura was back managing the White Sox after missing two games to attend his daughters graduation in California. ... Tony La Russa made it clear he has no desire to return to the dugout. "I had my time," said the former Chicago, Oakland and St. Louis manager. "I have passed the baton. Now, I see how much fun it is to second guess." LaRussa was in town for a reception honouring the White Soxs 1983 AL West championship team. ... RHP A.J. Griffin (5-4, 3.67 ERA) starts for Oakland on Sunday, with LHP Hector Santiago (1-4, 3.35) going for the White Sox.Nike React Shoes Online Ireland . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Nike React Ireland . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. http://www.cheapnikereactireland.com/ .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Cheap Nike React Ireland . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Nike React Sale Ireland . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament.CALGARY, Alberta -- The return of Johnny Gaudreau sparked Calgary to its biggest offensive outburst of the season.Gaudreau had a goal and an assist in his first game back from a broken finger, and the Flames scored five times in a 6:04 span of the second period to rout the Anaheim Ducks 8-3 on Sunday night.It was a surprise when it was revealed in the morning that Gaudreau would be back in the lineup less than three weeks after surgery that was expected to keep him out four to six weeks.I was just itching to get back out there playing with the guys, said Gaudreau, who has four goals in his last four games after scoring only two in his first 14. Its exciting to come back in here and play with the guys. Its a long 10 games when youre watching them play.In his absence, Calgary went 6-3-1 and had played its best defensive hockey of the season, but the club wasnt scoring a lot. The Flames had not scored more than three goals in a game since Oct. 28 against Ottawa.Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan inserted Gaudreau on a line with Sam Bennett and Alex Chiasson. On the first shot of his first shift, Gaudreau took a drop pass from Bennett and whipped a shot past Jonathan Bernier at 2:09 to make it 1-0.Its pretty amazing. Johnnys been out for 2 1/2 or three weeks and hasnt lost a step, said Chiasson, who had three points and got in a fight. Some of the moves he made tonight were just stunning.Sixth in the NHL in scoring last season, Gaudreau was just beginning to heat up with three goals in three games when a slash from Eric Staal against Minnesota on Nov. 15 sidelined him for 10 games.Bennett and Matt Stajan also had three points for the Flames, who finished a 3-0 homestand. Also scoring for Calgary (13-13-2) were Troy Brouwer, Dougie Hamilton, Sean Monahan and Mark Giordano.Ryan Kesler had two goals and Logan Shaw also scored for Anaheim (12-9-5), which trailed 8-1 late in the third. Next, the Ducks return home after a 1-1-1 trip through Western Canada.It was 1-all when Calgary scored a rare power-play goal at home 11:28 into the second, touching offf a stretch of five goals on six shots against Bernier.ddddddddddddCalgary was 2 for 45 on the power play at the Saddledome when Brouwer tipped in Monahans shot.It just seemed like the roof caved in from that point, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said.Chiasson shoveled in Bennetts rebound less than a minute later and 35 seconds after that, with the crowd still buzzing, Stajan deflected in Dennis Widemans slap shot.Back on the man advantage, the Flames made it two straight conversions when Bennett redirected in Mikael Backlunds pass at 16:37. Hamilton completed the second-period barrage 55 seconds later by ripping a slap shot into the top corner.Carlyle said he normally would have pulled Bernier, but John Gibson was sick with the flu.It kind of left him hanging high and dry. We wouldnt normally have ever done that to him, but in these situations you cant put people who are sick into the net, Carlyle said.Monahan and Giordano made it 8-1 with third-period goals before Kesler and Shaw scored late goals for the Ducks.Crazy game, Anaheim center Antoine Vermette said. When they scored a couple quick goals that was certainly a turning point in this game. After that, everything seemed to go their way.Starting for the 10th time in the last 12 games, Chad Johnson made 30 stops to improve to 8-2-0 during that span. He is 10-4-1 this season.Bernier, who went the distance, finished with 17 saves. His record fell to 4-2-1.Game notesIt was the most goals Calgary has scored since beating Edmonton 8-1 on March 22, 2014. ... Micheal Ferland (hand) left the game in the first period after a fight with Kevin Bieksa, but the injury is believed to be minor. ... Corey Perry has gone 18 games without a goal. ... Lance Bouma (upper body) skated without a non-contact jersey Sunday and is nearing a return. He has missed 15 games.UP NEXTDucks: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.Flames: Play at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. ' ' '