CHICAGO, Aug. 1 (Ticker) -- Trying to make a playoff push, the Phoenix Mercury found the right team to bully.

Diana Taurasi scored 29 points and helped lead a first-half charge as the Mercury snapped a four-game losing streak with an easy 90-70 victory over the Chicago Sky.

Kelly Miller added 16 points and Penny Taylor 14 for the Mercury, who took control in the second quarter and never looked back.

Miller drilled consecutive 3-pointers to cap a 13-1 run to start the second quarter that gave the Mercury a 37-23 lead.

After the Sky pulled within 39-32, the Mercury answered with an 11-2 surge to close the half and rebuild the lead double digits. Taurasi scored seven of her 11 second-quarter points in the burst.

Closing in on the league's scoring title, Taurasi made four 3-pointers and went 10-of-17 from the floor. She snak all five of her free throws.

Entering the night sixth in the Western Conference and 2 1/2 games behind Seattle for the final playoff spot, the Mercury (12-16) led by double digits the entire second half against the team with the league's worst record.

Stacey Lovelace-Tolbert scored 14 points and Bernadette Ngoyisa 11 for the Sky (4-24), who shot just 29 percent (20-of-68) in losing for the 10th time in 11 games.