Phoenix snaps two-game slide

— -- SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Anna DeForge was too much for the San Antonio Silver Stars. She tied a career-high with 26 points to lead the Phoenix Mercury to a 77-65 victory Tuesday night over San Antonio. "We shot a very high percentage and outrebounded them, and that's something we didn't do at home a couple of days ago," DeForge said. "We have a lot of great shooters on this team, and as long as we get good looks, we have confidence we can shoot a high percentage and keep our team in the game." Phoenix, which snapped a two-game losing streak, had four players in double figures. Plenette Pierson scored 19 points, and Penny Taylor and Diana Taurasi had 14 apiece. "There was a sense of urgency tonight," Phoenix coach Carrie Graf said. "Our whole focus was to get some defensive stops that would enable us to get our offense going. We need a mix of inside and outside to be successful, and that's where Plenette Pierson helped us tonight." San Antonio was led by Shannon Johnson and Adrienne Goodson with 14 points each. Johnson scored 12 in the first half. Trailing by one point at halftime, Phoenix opened the second half with a 21-10 run and led 58-48 after two free throws by DeForge with 9:32 remaining. A 3-point field goal by Agnieszka Bibrzycka cut the Mercury lead to 58-53. Phoenix responded with a 10-4 run to take the biggest lead of the game at 68-57 when DeForge connected on two free throws with 1:17 to play. "In the first half we left the shooters open," San Antonio coach Dee Brown said. "Pierson was the key. She took over the scoring load. It's tough when you break down defensively against the same team you played four days ago. They ran the same sets, we just relaxed." San Antonio got no closer than eight points the rest of the way. Despite connecting on 15 of 26 shots, Phoenix trailed only 38-37 at halftime. DeForge had 13 first half points for the Mercury.