PHOENIX (AP) — Brionna Jones had 18 points, Tyasha Harris scored all 12 of her points in the third quarter and the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 83-72 on Monday night.
Harris scored Connecticut’s opening 10 points of the second half to help build a 52-41 lead.
Phoenix center Brittney Griner made her second 3-pointer of the season and Natasha Cloud completed a three-point play with 6:07 remaining to cap a 12-3 run and get within 70-66. But the Mercury didn’t make another field goal the rest of the way.
The Sun maintained their lead at the free-throw line, making their first 21 before a miss with 57 seconds left. Carrington finished 8 of 8 at the stripe, while Jones made all six of her attempts.
Phoenix, which was coming off an 88-82 loss to Indiana on Sunday, struggled without Diana Taurasi (back soreness) and Rebecca Allen (lower back). The Mercury were just 2 of 11 from 3-point range through three quarters before finishing 3 of 17.
STORM 95, WINGS 71
SEATTLE (AP) — Jewell Loyd scored 26 points, Nneka Ogwumike added 14 and Seattle beat Dallas for the second time in three days.
Loyd narrowly missed her third-straight game with 30-plus points after scoring 30 in a 97-76 victory over the Wings on Saturday.
Seattle took control in the first half, leading 45-37 at the break behind 13 points from Loyd.
Loyd made a 3-pointer with 5:02 left in the third to cap a 15-2 run for a 60-39 lead. Ogwumike added a 3-pointer on the Storm’s next possession for a 22-point advantage. Dallas was just 1 of 6 from 3-point range at that point.
Loyd sat out the fourth quarter after Seattle scored 34 in the third to take a 79-50 lead.
Seattle (13-6) has won eight straight games at home.
Ezi Magbegor added 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks for Seattle. Skylar Diggins-Smith had eight points and five assists.
Arike Ogunbowale led the Wings with 21 points and five steals. Natasha Howard added 15 points and Odyssey Sims had 12.
Connecticut Sun guard Veronica Burton (22) gets fouled by Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham (9) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Monday, July 1, 2024, in Phoenix. The Sun won 83-72. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christian Walker hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning and a three-run blast in the ninth — his 16th and 17th career shots at Dodger Stadium — and the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame a rough start to rout Los Angeles 12-4 on Wednesday night.
Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added two-run homers for Arizona, down 4-1 before Diamondbacks starter Cristian Mena retired a batter in his major league debut.
“A real gutsy performance,” Walker said.
The D-backs were coming off a walkoff loss in the series opener Tuesday.
“This team did not get fazed,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We started chipping away.”
Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández hit back-to-back homers in the first for the NL West-leading Dodgers. After four of their first five batters had hits, they had only two more the rest of the game. Arizona pounded out 16 hits.
Walker went 4 for 5, falling a triple shy of the cycle, with four RBIs and three runs. With two out in the fourth, he sent a 3-2 pitch from Ryan Yarbrough (3-2) to left for a 5-4 lead. Walker hit his 20th homer of the season in the ninth, a two-out shot off Michael Petersen.
“It’s otherworldly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about Walker. “He doesn’t give anything away. He’s one of the guys I really enjoy watching play.”
Walker has seven homers in eight games against the Dodgers this season, and his 17 career homers at Dodger Stadium since 2018 are the most among opposing players. He has homered in four straight games in Los Angeles.
“It's a good place to hit, see the ball well,” Walker said. “A big part of it is the lineup and the protection around me in the lineup, it gives me the freedom to take some big swings and try to change the score. It’s helpful coming up with guys on a lot.”
Bryce Jarvis (1-2) got the victory in relief.
Arizona got most of its offense from the bottom of the lineup. Eugenio Suárez, Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo combined for seven hits, including Moreno's homer in the third.
The Dodgers' only hits after the first were a double by Miguel Rojas in the sixth and Freeman's single in the eighth.
Mena allowed a single, walk, back-to-back homers and a single to the first five Dodgers. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out two and walked three in three innings.
“I still have to learn, but that's something important to me — just forget about what just happened and focus on the next inning,” Mena said.
Dodgers rookie Gavin Stone gave up four runs and seven hits in three innings, needing 49 pitches over the first two innings. He struck out three and walked three.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) was set to throw a bullpen Thursday.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (6-4, 2.83 ERA) was scheduled to make his second start since coming off the IL in the series finale Thursday against Dodgers RHP Landon Knack (1-1, 2.08).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr., left, heads to second after hitting a two-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Yohan Ramirez steps off the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drops his bat as he heads to first for a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, left, looks back after being tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno as he tried to score from third on the line out by Miguel Rojas during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, center, is congratulated by Will Smith, left, and Shohei Ohtani, right, after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Cristian Mena throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández, right, hits a solo home run as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Cristian Mena, left, and catcher Gabriel Moreno, second from left, watch along with home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Gavin Stone throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, right, attempts to score from third on the line out by Miguel Rojas before being tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno, left, is congratulated by Geraldo Perdomo, center, and Eugenio Suarez after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo dives for a ball hit for a single by Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, second from left, hits a three-run home run as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Cristian Mena, left, and catcher Gabriel Moreno, right, watch along with home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, left, is congratulated by Shohei Ohtani after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, right, is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno as he tried to score from third on the line out by Miguel Rojas during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr., left, and Christian Walker, right, celebrate as Jake McCarthy watches after Gurriel Jr. hit a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker, right, hits a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Petersen, left, watches along with catcher Will Smith and home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
