TORONTO (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell walked into a postgame celebration without realizing she was the guest of honor.
Mitchell scored 33 points to set a WNBA season scoring record Friday night in a 103-85 victory over the Toronto Tempo.
With a 3-pointer in the third quarter, Mitchell eclipsed the 1,021 points A’ja Wilson scored for Las Vegas in 2024. Mitchell has scored 1,034 points this season.
When confetti rained down as she entered the Fever locker room, Mitchell’s first thought was that coach Stephanie White had passed another milestone.
“Then, out of nowhere, everybody started coming my way, and I was like “Oh,” and I put two together that it was for me,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell also scored at least 20 points for the 25th consecutive game, extending her WNBA record. She shot 12 for 17 and went 7 for 11 from 3-point range.
“I don’t think people realize what she’s done this year and how insane it’s been,” teammate Caitlin Clark Clark said about Mitchell. “It’s probably not talked about enough, especially in my opinion.”
Mitchell came in averaging 25 points. Only Wilson (26.1) is averaging more this season.
“She’s playing at another level and it’s been really incredible to witness,” White said about Mitchell’s historic season. “I hope that we don’t take it for granted that what we’re witnessing is some unprecedented stuff.”
In her first game since helping the U.S. win gold at the women’s FIBA World Cup, Clark scored 28 points and matched a season high with 14 assists.
It was the 10th time this season that Clark has scored 25 or more points and had 10 or more assists. That’s more times than any other WNBA player has ever done it over their entire career.
Indiana improved to 27-14 with three games remaining in the regular season, the same record as Atlanta. Las Vegas, Atlanta and Indiana all are vying to secure home-court advantage in the opening round.
“Our goal is to gain homecourt advantage because that is really important, especially in that three-game series,” Clark said.
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Toronto Tempo's Teonni Key, right, drives as Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark (22) defends during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto hit a three-run homer and the New York Mets kept the Philadelphia Phillies from gaining ground in the National League wild-card race with a 6-3 victory Friday night.
Edmundo Sosa went 3 for 3 with a home run and a double for the Phillies (85-69), who remained tied with the Cubs for the top two wild-card spots after Chicago lost 6-4 to Cincinnati. Both teams began the day one game ahead of the San Diego Padres, who hosted Miami later.
Derek Hill also went deep and Bryson Stott had an RBI double for Philadelphia.
Soto also doubled and finished with three hits. A.J. Ewing’s two-run single capped a three-run first inning for the last-place Mets, who ended a five-game losing streak — their longest under interim manager Andy Green. Carson Benge had an RBI single in the first and reached base three times.
Francisco Lindor remained at 299 career homers after going 2 for 5 with a double.
Rookie left-hander Zac Thornton (5-5) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked one. Thornton has permitted two runs or fewer eight times in 14 big league starts.
Dedniel Núñez got four outs for his second career save and first since July 13, 2024.
José Urquidy tossed 4 2/3 innings of scoreless bulk relief in his Phillies debut. Urquidy, designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, was claimed off waivers Thursday.
Phillies opener Tim Mayza (3-4) was charged with three runs. He threw 33 pitches but recorded just one out — the shortest outing by a Philadelphia starter since Cristopher Sánchez got only one out against the Washington Nationals on July 29, 2021.
The Mets will retire the No. 15 jersey worn by Hall of Fame center fielder Carlos Beltrán on Saturday before RHP Christian Scott (4-5, 3.76 ERA) opposes Phillies RHP Andrew Painter (3-9, 5.54).
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Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, second from left, pulls pitcher Tim Mayza, left, out of the game during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets pitcher Zac Thornton throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets' Juan Soto celebrates his three-run home run in the dugout during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets' Juan Soto looks after his three-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets' A.J. Ewing reacts after hitting a two-run double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
