Ionescu scores 29 points, 9 in the last minute, to rally the Liberty to a 95-94 win over the Sky

NEW YORK (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored nine of her 29 points in the final minute, Jonquel Jones made the tiebreaking free throw with 3.4 seconds left and the New York Liberty rallied to beat the Chicago Sky 95-94 on Wednesday night.

The Liberty erased a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes. They trailed 91-85 with less than a minute to play, before Ionescu hit a contested 3-pointer from the corner falling out of bounds, made another 3-pointer and then converted a three-point play with 15.1 seconds left to tie the game at 94.

Courtney Vandersloot fed Kamilla Cardoso on a pick-and-roll but Cardoso missed the layup and fouled Jones, who made one of the free throws.

Breanna Stewart had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Liberty (15-12). Jones added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Rebecca Allen scored 12 points. Ionescu was 8 of 11 from the field with five 3-pointers and 8 of 8 from the foul line.

Sydney Taylor had a career-high 31 points for the Sky (9-18). Vandersloot had 14 points and Cardoso scored 10.

Gabriela Jaquez and Taylor hit 3s to start a run that saw the Sky boost a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter to an 84-72 advantage when Taylor drilled another 3 with 5 1/2 minutes to play.

The Liberty bounced back with Stewart's basket and 3s from Jones and Ionescu, which she turned into a four-point play. When Stewart blocked Vandersloot's layup and made a layup at the other end, New York was back with 86-85 with 2:35 to play.

Sky: Home against Connecticut on July 30.

Liberty: At Los Angeles on Tuesday.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

New York Liberty's Rebecca Allen, left, defends Chicago Sky's Sydney Taylor during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Pauline Astier (18) fights for control of the ball with Chicago Sky's Kamilla Cardoso (10) during the second half of a WNBA basketball game Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Han Xu (21) celebrates with teammates Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart (30) and Marine Fauthoux (4) after scoring during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Chicago Sky Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after making a three-point shot during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Chicago Sky Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK (AP) — Max Fried allowed one hit over five innings in his return from a two-month layoff, Jasson Domínguez and Anthony Volpe drove in runs on consecutive pitches in the seventh and the New York Yankees beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 Wednesday night for a doubleheader split.

Pittsburgh won the opener 5-3 in 10 innings.

Bubba Chandler pitched 6 1/3 innings of two-hit ball in his first scoreless outing this year.

Brandon Eisert (2-2), acquired from the Chicago White Sox on July 11, relieved and walked Cody Bellinger. One out later, Domínguez doubled down the left-field line and scored when Volpe singled for his second RBI since June 19.

Fried struck out seven and walked one, inducing 10 swings and misses while throwing 37 of 57 pitches for strikes and retiring his last 12 batters. He had not pitched since May 14 because of a bone bruise in his left elbow and was to have thrown one more minor league rehab start before Tuesday night's rainout caused the Yankees to change their plans.

He was economical, with 13 pitches in the first, 10 each in the second, third and fourth, and 14 in the fifth. Fried's four-seam fastball averaged 96.2 mph, 1.5 mph above his season average coming in. He threw his two fastest pitches this year, topping at a 98.5 mph fastball for a called strike against Marcell Ozuna in the second.

Nick Gonzalez singled down the left-field line leading off the game but was throwing out at second trying to stretch by Bellinger in left.

Paul Blackburn (3-1) pitched two hitless innings, escaping a runners-at-the-corners jam in the seventh by striking out Ryan O’Hearn and Ozuna.

Will Warren, who was to have started Tuesday, allowed Nick Gonzales' single starting the ninth and a two-out walk. Tim Hill retired O'Hearn on a groundout that was upheld in a video review for his first save since June 30, 2021, for San Diego at Cincinnati.

Pirates: RHP Jared Jones (2-1, 4.05 ERA) will be on the mound Friday against the visiting Chicago Cubs, who start LHP Matthew Boyd (6-1, 4.15).

Yankees: RHP Will Warren (7-4, 4.03) starts Friday's series opener at Philadelphia against LHP Jesús Luzardo (9-4, 3.43).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler delivers in the first inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez runs after hitting a run scoring double in the seventh inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez scores a run past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. in the seventh inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger scores a run past Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. in the seventh inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried delivers in the first inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)