CHICAGO -- John Danks is enjoying success and making it look easy with a string of impressive performances of late. But the left-hander knows that getting to this point -- nearly two years removed from shoulder surgery -- was anything but easy. "Its been a long, frustrating road to get back to here," Danks said. "There were some days where you were having to fight doubt from creeping in. "I think Im beyond that." Gordon Beckham and Dayan Viciedo hit two-run home runs, Danks pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Chicago White Sox snapped a four-game losing streak with an 8-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. The slumping White Sox had managed a total of six runs in their previous four games, but busted through with a slew of clutch hits. It was plenty of support for Danks (6-5), who settled down after a somewhat slow start and gave up two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 6 1-3 innings. In his last five starts, the left-hander is 3-1 with a 1.51 ERA. His ERA for the season is down to 3.97. "He has really gotten it together, from where he started early in the year," manager Robin Ventura said. "He has pitched to where hes always giving us a chance right now. He becomes tough when he has the feel of the changeup like that and spotting his fastball. It just seems like he has a little more on it as far as spotting his fastball." Viciedo, who was just 2 for 23 on the homestand before Tuesday, went 2 for 4. His fifth-inning blast ended a stretch of 51 at-bats without an RBI. Hunter Pence went 2 for 4 with a home run for the Giants, who have dropped four straight and seven of eight. Giants starter Matt Cain (1-5) allowed eight runs -- seven earned -- and 10 hits in five innings. "He got off to a good start," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said of Cain. "Those first two innings, he looked real sharp. He looked like he was on track. Then the third inning got a little long there, long at-bat and he ended up giving up a home run. Then he just got derailed." Pence opened the scoring with a homer in the first inning, and the Giants made it 2-0 with an unearned run in the third. The White Sox tied it in the bottom of the third as Adam Eaton singled with two outs, stole second and then trotted home on Beckhams two-run shot. Chicago took a 5-2 lead with three runs in the fourth. Jose Abreu led off with a single and one out later Alexei Ramirez and Viciedo both singled to load the bases. Alejandro De Aza popped up in foul ground on the first pitch for the second out, but Tyler Flowers drew a walk to drive in a run and make it 3-2. Eaton followed with a slow grounder to shortstop that Brandon Crawford fielded cleanly but threw wide of first base after rushing to get the speedy Eaton. Eaton was credited with a single and one RBI as both Ramirez and Viciedo scored for the three-run lead. Crawford was charged with an error for allowing the second run to score and both runners (Flowers and Eaton) to advance a base. Chicago added three runs in the fifth to break the game open. Adam Dunn had an RBI single and two batters later Viciedo hit a two-run, two-out homer for an 8-2 margin. "We needed it," Beckham said. "It was nice to break out against a good team." NOTES: Bochy was a teammate of Tony Gwynns and later managed the Hall of Famer, who died Monday. "Just a huge loss for baseball and San Diego," Bochy said. "We all know what a great player he was and a great hitter. But he is getting recognized for being such a tremendous person." ... White Sox C Tyler Flowers had a bases-loaded walk to drive in a run, but is 18 for his last 111 at-bats with 50 Ks as his average dropped to .247. ... Giants OF Angel Pagan (lower back) was out of the lineup for a second straight game and is listed as day-to-day. ... C Buster Posey was used at DH after taking a foul off mask on Sunday. ... The finale of the brief two-game series has a marquee pitching matchup of RHP Tim Hudson (7-2, 1.81) vs. LHP Chris Sale (5-1. 1.97). Wholesale Shoes Black Friday . -- Slugger Jose Abreu, All-Star left-hander Chris Sale and closer Matt Lindstrom are on the disabled list. Buy Shoes Black Friday . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/ . The injury will keep the Finnish forward out of the Olympics. The 29-year-old has 20 goals and 41 points in 56 games this season, his first with Tampa Bay. Cheap Shoes Black Friday . Bostons bats exploded in Mondays opener, as David Ortiz belted a pair of two-run homers, Stephen Drew homered and drove in four runs and the Red Sox pummeled the Blue Jays, 14-1. Discount Shoes Black Friday . -- Phil Mickelson will be watching the final two rounds of the Masters from home for the first time in 17 years.The Washington Wizards, pushing for their first playoff berth since 2008, acquired disgruntled point guard Andre Miller from the Denver Nuggets on Thursday in a three-way trade that also involves the Philadelphia 76ers. The Wizards gave up two seldom-used players — forward Jan Vesely and point guard Eric Maynor. Vesely goes to the Nuggets, while Maynor gets shipped to the 76ers. Philadelphia receives two second-round draft picks, one from the Wizards in 2015 and one from the Nuggets in 2016. Washington receives a protected 2014 second-round pick from the 76ers. Miller hasnt played since his shouting match with coach Brian Shaw in the waning minutes of a loss to the 76ers on New Years Day. The Nuggets initially suspended Miller for two games, then rescinded the suspension and announced that he would instead be excused from all team activities for personal reasons. "Obviously we did our homework," Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said. "I think that was an isolated situation, an isolation incident. Were going to move past that." Miller, who turns 38 next month, has played with five teams over 15 NBA seasons. He averaged 5.9 points and 3.3 assists for the Nugggets this season.dddddddddddd The Wizards are under pressure from owner Ted Leonsis to end their playoff drought, with both team president Ernie Grunfeld and coach Randy Wittman in the final year of their contracts. Washington is currently fifth in the watered-down Eastern Conference, but the team has lost five of seven to fall two games under .500. "Our goal was all along to make the playoffs," Grunfeld said. "Weve put ourselves in a position where were right there." The Wizards will be counting on Miller to add depth to a rotation that has been shrinking during the season, with Wittman asking more from All-Star John Wall and other starters while relying less on the bench. Maynor, acquired last summer to be Walls backup, has disappeared almost entirely, having played just seven minutes in the last 27 games. Vesely has been a major disappointment since being selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2011 draft. He has played in 33 games this season, and only five of the last 14, while averaging 3.2 points. Grunfeld said Vesely didnt develop quickly enough into the player the Wizards were expecting. "He wasnt consistent enough for us," Grunfeld said. ' ' '