Nationals cool off Mets
Storm 84, Liberty 69
Alysha Clark scored 21 points and Seattle beat New York on Sunday, spoiling the Liberty's lone regular-season game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Liberty have played a majority of their games in Westchester the past two seasons. The team was bought by a group led by Nets owner Joe Tsai in the offseason. The team played an exhibition game against China's national team in the preseason at Barclays. The team could potentially play home games at the arena next year. There was a huge crowd with the lower bowl of Barclays Center mostly full. The fans had a lot to cheer about early on as New York held a 45-43 halftime lead. Then Seattle took over in the third quarter. The Storm (14-11) built a 58-49 advantage midway through the period. New York cut its deficit to five before Seattle scored 10 straight, including five in a row by Clark. New York couldn't get within eight the rest of the way. Tina Charles scored 20 of her 22 points in the first half to lead the Liberty (8-15), who have lost five straight and eight of nine. Bria Hartley added 17.
Mystics 101, Lynx 78
Emma Meesseman scored a season-high 25 points, Elena Delle Donne had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Washington beat Minnesota. Aerial Powers added 20 points and Myisha Hines-Allen had 13 for the Mystics. Washington (17-7) has won three games in a row and eight of its last nine. Ariel Atkins hit a 3-pointer that gave the Mystics the lead for good and sparked a 14-4 run that made it 25-16. Odyssey Sims led Minnesota (12-12) with 20 points and eight assists. The Mystics shot 54.8% (34 of 62) from the field and made 27 of 29 from the foul line — their season high for free throw attempts and tying their season mark for free throws made. Washington, which leads the WNBA in scoring (87.3 points per game — more than five points higher than any other team in the league), scored at least 100 points for the third time this season.
Sparks 84, Sky 81
Chelsea Gray scored seven of her 26 points in the final 1:25 and Los Angeles overcame a 16-point deficit to beat Chicago. Nneka Ogwumike had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Maria Vadeeva added 12 points for the Sparks (15-8). Los Angeles has won five in a row overall and eight straight at home. Chelsea Gray hit a 3 and, after a basket by Chicago's Cheyenne Parker, made a jumper to cut L.A.'s deficit to 81-80 with a minute left. The Sky committed a shot-clock violation before Gray made two foul shots to make it 82-81 with 29.5 seconds remaining. Allie Quigley missed a 3 on the other end, Gray grabbed the rebound and Ogwumike made a layup to cap the scoring with 5.7 seconds left. Quigley led the Sky (14-10) with 20 points. Parker added 19, and Diamond DeShields had 16. All-Star point guard Courtney Vandersloot did not play for Chicago because of an illness. The Sky scored 14 of the first 18 points and opened a 20-6 lead when DeShields hit a pull-up jumper late in the first quarter. Los Angeles slowly closed the gap, scored the final three points of the third and Maria Vadeeva converted a 3-point play to open the fourth and give the Sparks their first lead at 62-61.
Late Saturday Wings 80, Mercury 77
Brittney Griner and five other players were ejected after a fight broke out midway through the fourth quarter of Dallas' win over Phoenix. With 6:23 left in the final period, Griner and Wings forward Kristine Anigwe got tangled up in the lane and a scuffle ensued. The Mercury's 6-foot-8 center had to be restrained by an official at midcourt where she was still trying to get at Dallas players. After about a 10-minute review, the officials ejected Griner, Diana Taurasi and Briann January from Phoenix. Taurasi was inactive for the game, but was tossed for leaving the bench area. Anigwe, Kayla Thornton and Kaela Davis were ejected for Dallas. "Today I went on the court to make sure my teammate didn't get jumped," Taurasi said. "She got punched in the face and then someone ran on her back and threw punches at her face. I would do that 100 times out of 100 times." Griner didn't comment after the game. Phoenix was leading 71-68 at that point. Arike Ogunbowale scored Dallas' first six points in an 8-2 run that gave the Wings a 79-77 lead when Isabelle Harrison took a steal coast-to-coast for a layup with 26 seconds to play. After an empty possession, the Mercury were forced to foul Ogunbowale, who finished with 23 points. She made the first free throw and missed the second, but chased down her own offensive rebound and the Wings dribbled out the final seconds.
New York — Nationals closer Sean Doolittle became a favorite at Citi Field after blowing a three-run lead Friday night. Mets fans cheered the All-Star closer when he went to the bullpen Saturday, and on Sunday, they clapped and hollered when his name was announced to pitch the ninth.
"The fans, they were on me a little bit, and it's all good," Doolittle said.
Doolittle and the Nationals finally got the last laugh. The left-hander pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 26th save and Washington closed out the Mets for a 7-4 victory Sunday. The Nats had blown five consecutive save chances in Flushing and entered the game with a 6.07 ERA, worst in the National League.
The Mets ended a season-best eight-game winning streak and lost for the second time in 17 games. That magical run had fans drooling with Doolittle coming out of the bullpen, but the 32-year-old got back on top of his game in time to hold off a rival NL wild-card contender.
"In a weird way, it relaxed me a little bit," Doolittle said of the cheers. "I'm at my best when I'm able to have a little bit of fun with it in those situations."
Asdrubal Cabrera hit a tiebreaking two-run double against his former team and the Nationals bullpen allowed just one hit over the final three innings. The teams will not play again in New York unless they meet in the postseason. The key three-game series averaged 41,492 fans to create a playoff atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Nationals star Juan Soto sprained his right ankle on Cabrera's bases-loaded hit in the seventh inning. Soto went from first to third but turned his right ankle after getting a late stop sign from third base coach Bob Henley. He spiked his helmet, was worked on by trainers in the outfield grass, and ultimately came out of the game. X-rays were negative and Soto's considered day to day.
Victor Robles replaced Soto and homered off All-Star Edwin Díaz in the ninth, and Anthony Rendon had four hits.
Jeff McNeil had two hits and two RBIs, but New York dropped 1 1/2 games behind Washington for the top NL wild card.
"We went 6-1 on the homestand," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "I don't think you can ask for a better homestand than that."
Adam Eaton began the seventh-inning rally with a one-out single off Robert Gsellman (2-3). The pesky right fielder moved to second on Rendon's single and advanced to third when McNeil briefly overran the ball.
After a pitching change, Soto walked to load the bases and Cabrera lined Justin Wilson's first offering into right field to drive in Eaton and Rendon. Soto was tagged out to end the inning.
Cabrera spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Mets before being traded to Philadelphia in 2018. He opted to sign with Washington instead of returning to New York after being released by Texas.