Candace Parker's 21 guides Sparks past Sky

LOS ANGELES - Candace Parker scored 21 points, Lisa Leslie had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Sparks pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Chicago Sky 75-63 Tuesday night for their sixth consecutive victory.

DeLisha Milton-Jones added 12 points and Parker grabbed 8 rebounds, just missing her WNBA-leading 10th double-double.

Shyra Ely scored 16 points and Candice Dupree added 13 points for the Sky, which lost its third in a row and fourth in six games.

The Sparks improved to 9-3 this month, including 6-3 at home, as they continue their push for homecourt advantage in the playoffs. They have seven games remaining, including five at Staples Center.

Los Angeles opened the fourth on a 7-0 run, capped by Noelle Quinn's 3-pointer, to extend its lead to 61-52. The Sky got within 4 on a layup by Mistie Bass before the Sparks took over.

They reeled off eight in a row, helped by Parker's steal that set up a jumper - her third consecutive basket - and took a 71-59 lead with 3:41 remaining and Leslie on the bench.

The Sky struggled with missed shots down the stretch.

The Sparks ran off 11 consecutive points early in the third, including 5 by Parker and 4 from Leslie, to erase a 9-point deficit and take their first lead since the start of the game, 41-39. They shot 71 percent from the floor and dominated the paint, 16-8.

The teams traded baskets the rest of the quarter, with neither going up by more than 3, before Tina Thompson made 2 free throws to give the Sparks a 54-52 lead going into the fourth.

Los Angeles got within 2 points early in the second before the Sky used a 13-4 run to take a 32-21 lead, including four by Ely. Then Leslie scored six in a row to cut the Sparks' deficit to 32-27 at halftime.

The Sky took control from the start, building a 9-point lead in the first quarter, when Leslie committed 2 of the Sparks' 4 turnovers.

The Sparks wore pink uniforms to promote breast health awareness night.