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.Adidas NMD City Sock Suomi . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Adidas Gazelle Kengät . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. http://www.nmdhalvalla.com/adidas-prophere-halvalla.html . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Adidas Kengät Halvalla . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Adidas Ozweego Suomi . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed.DURHAM, N.C. -- Malcolm Bell threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 47 yards and another score as North Carolina Central dominated Division II St. Augustines 65-7 on Saturday night.Dorrel McClain rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns and Quentin Atkinson grabbed six passes for 95 yards.NCCU (1-2), which opened the season by losing to Duke 49-6 and Western Michigan 70-21, got ahead early against the Falcons, taking a 41-7 lead into the break.Seven different Eagle players foound their way into the end zone as Bell ran in from the 10 to start the scoring.dddddddddddd McClain had two rushes of 13 and 10 yards for scores in the first quarter and Carl Jones ran in from the two for a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter. Naiil Ramadan, who replaced Bell at quarterback, threw a touchdown pass to Jalen Wilkes and ran in for another score. ' ' '