Paige Bueckers figures to play a key role again Sunday against when the Dallas Wings look for a 2-0 start to their four-game road trip in a visit to the Toronto Tempo.

Bueckers scored 25 points for the third consecutive game on Thursday when the Wings (12-8) opened the trip with an 86-83 victory over the Connecticut Sun. She added seven rebounds and seven assists, while scoring 11 of her points in the fourth quarter as Dallas overcame an 11-point deficit with 7:11 to play.

“She does things every single day that now you’re not surprised by anymore,” Wings coach Jose Fernandez said. “She’s just different. She’s such a competitor and a winner, and she just refuses to lose. Certain guys don’t want the ball in their hands at the end, don’t want to take the big shot, and she never shies away from the big moment.”

Jessica Shepard added 14 points for Dallas and reserve Alanna Smith scored 11 for Dallas, which had lost its previous two games.

Before Bueckers’ streak of three 25-point games, she scored 27 against the Seattle Storm in a 112-110 overtime win on June 22.

After visiting the New York Liberty on Tuesday, the Wings will end their road swing Friday against the Tempo at Montreal.

The Tempo (9-10) have been idle since an 89-80 home loss to the Phoenix Mercury on June 27.

The Tempo were without Marina Mabrey in the loss because of neck spasms. In Toronto’s previous game, she tied a WNBA record with 53 points in a 125-97 home victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on June 25.

“I didn’t know until right before the game,” Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said of Mabrey’s injury. “She warmed up … and then they ruled her out. That was hard, because you can’t really plan, you’re planning on the fly, and rotations change a little bit.”

Mabrey has been listed as day-to-day. She was at practice on Friday and appears set to play on Sunday.

In Mabrey’s absence, Nyara Sabally led Toronto with 14 points against Phoenix. Reserve Tima Pouye added 13 points. Kia Nurse replaced Mabrey at guard and scored 12. Isabelle Harrison had 12 points and seven rebounds while Julie Allemand had 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

“Julie is such a great playmaking guard, and she wants to create if you can set really good screens,” Brondello said. “She’s a pass-first point guard. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play with someone like that?”

–Field Level Media

Brandon Lowe and Henry Davis each drove in two runs and Braxton Ashcraft struck out seven in a solid start as the Pittsburgh Pirates earned a 7-1 road win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

Ashcraft (9-3) allowed one run on six hits with two walks in 5 2/3 innings. Bryan Reynolds, Ryan O’Hearn and Nick Gonzales each had two hits for the Pirates.

James Wood hit his 23rd home run of the season and Daylen Lile had two hits for the Nationals.

Pittsburgh racked up five hits to open a 5-1 lead in the second. Gonzales singled, Jake Mangum was hit by a pitch and Tyler Callihan reached on a bunt single.

Nationals starter Carson Palmquist (0-1) was relieved by Zack Littell, who surrendered Davis’ RBI infield single, scoring Gonzales. Konnor Griffin struck out swinging, but Lowe’s two-run single scored Callihan and Mangum and advanced Davis to second. After Reynolds fouled out to third, Esmerlyn Valdez’s blooper to right drove in Davis.

Earlier, Griffin opened the game by poking a single into right field. He stole second base, and after Lowe struck out swinging, advanced to third on Reynolds’ infield single.

Palmquist struck out Valdez, but Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead on a double steal as Reynolds swiped second and Griffin slid home safely ahead of the throw from Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams.

Wood evened the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first when he drove a first-pitch fastball 428 feet to right for a homer.

Riley Cornelio relieved Littell in the eighth and Pittsburgh extended its lead to 7-1. Reynolds reached on a dribbler down the first-base line. Valdez struck out looking and O’Hearn singled to right. With runners on first and third, Gonzales laced an RBI single to left. Mangum reached on a fielder’s choice that forced out Gonzales at second, but Callihan walked to load the bases. Davis coaxed a walk to drive in another run.

Palmquist allowed four runs on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts in one inning.

–Field Level Media

The G.O.A.T. remains the top dog when it comes to devouring frankfurters on the Fourth of July.

Joey Chestnut won his 18th Nathan’s Famous hot dog-eating contest on Saturday in Coney Island, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Chestnut, 42, consumed 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. He holds the event record with 76 in 2021.

He ate 15 more than runner-up Patrick Bertoletti on Saturday.

“I knew I was going to be able to get the win,” Chestnut said afterwards “I’ve got so much room left.”

Miki Sudo, 40, won the women’s contest for the 12th time by downing 38.75 hot dogs.

Nathan’s Famous has been hosting the annual Independence Day contest since 1972.

–Field Level Media