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Danks Solid As White Sox Beat Cubs 7-4

CHICAGO (AP)—John Danks pitched shutout ball into the seventh for his first win in nearly a month and Dayan Viciedo, A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Dunn homered as the Chicago White Sox beat the Cubs 7-4 on Saturday night.

The White Sox made it two in a row over the Cubs and played without star first baseman Paul Konerko, who'd been hit near the left eye with a pitch Friday and had to leave the game. Konerko had a shiner Saturday, but tests revealed no major damage and he hopes to play again Tuesday.

Danks (3-4) got his first win since April 22, allowing three hits in 6 1-3 innings. It was his third career start at Wrigley Field, where he has allowed just two earned runs in 19 1-3 innings and is 2-0.

Trailing 7-0 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs got two-run homers from Alfonso Soriano and Joe Mather off Zach Stewart.

Viciedo and Pierzynski went back-to-back off Cubs starter Ryan Dempster (0-2) in the third, and Dunn added a solo shot off reliever James Russell in a three-run eighth — his 13th of the season and 42nd of his career against the Cubs.

Viciedo, in the lineup because of Konerko's absence, connected on his seventh homer in the third inning to give the White Sox a 3-0 lead. The two-run shot just went over leaping center fielder Reed Johnson's glove and was Viciedo's fourth homer in his last six games.

Two pitches later, Pierzynski hit a liner to left center that cleared the ivy-covered wall, his sixth of the year.

Dempster, who hasn't won in a span of 16 starts dating to last Aug. 11, gave up seven hits and four runs with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings.

Danks retired the first 13 batters before Alfonso Soriano doubled with one out in the fifth. Danks also walked Joe Mather before Koyie Hill lined out to end the inning. Pinch-hitter Tony Campana and Johnson singled to open the sixth, but the rally died when Starlin Castro hit into a double play.

The White Sox opened the scoring when Alejandro De Aza singled to start the game, stole second and after a walk to Dunn scored on Viciedo's RBI single.

Alexei Ramirez had an RBI single in the eighth to make it 6-0 and the White Sox subsequently loaded the bases. Reliever Blake Parker then went to a 3-0 count on De Aza before he had to leave with an injury and Michael Bowden threw ball four, forcing in the seventh run.

Viciedo wasn't supposed to start any of the three games at Wrigley Field as manager Robin Ventura planned to play Dunn in left field without the DH in a NL park. But when Konerko had to leave Friday's game in the third inning, Dunn moved to first and Viciedo took over in his familiar left field spot while batting in Konerko's cleanup slot.

Notes: The White Sox have won 17 of the last 23 against the Cubs. ... Viciedo now has 10 RBIs in his last six games. ... Dunn also walked four times. ... C Koyie Hill, who had been playing Double-A in the Reds' organization hoping for another shot at the majors, got just that when the Cubs reacquired him and then put him in the lineup Saturday night. Starting catcher Geovany Soto went on the DL after knee surgery and backup Wellington Castillo has a sprained knee ligament. ... U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder led the singing during the seventh-inning stretch. World leaders are meeting in Chicago on Sunday and Monday. ... The White Sox go for the sweep Sunday sending out Jake Peavy (4-1) to face Paul Maholm (4-2).

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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