Aleksander Barkov To Panthers

    The Florida Panthers selected center Aleksander Barkov as the second overall pick of the 2013 NHL Draft in Newark, New Jersey on Sunday. He had 21 goals, 27 assists and a plus-18 in 53 games with Tappara of the Finnish Elite League in 2012-13.

Marlins Rip Padres

    Jacob Turner pitched a complete game as the Miami Marlins beat the San Diego Padres 7-1 at Marlins Park on Saturday. The Fish improved to 16-24 at home this season as they defeated the Padres for the first time in five meetings in 2013.
    Miami(28-51) jumped out to a 3-0 lead during the first inning against Eric Stults. Justin Ruggiano led off with a base hit to left center then Ed Lucas had a single to center field. After Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Ozuna singled into deep right field as Ruggiano and Lucas scored on a throwing error by Alexi Amarista. Ozuna scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Placido Polanco.
    The Marlins extended their margin to 6-0 in the fourth inning with three more runs. Polanco walked and advanced to third on a base hit to center by Derek Dietrich. Polanco scored on a single to left-center field by Adeiny Hechavarria as he went to second on the throw to the plate. Jeff Mathis knocked in Dietrich and Hechavarria on a base hit to center.
    San Diego(40-41) broke the shutout in the fifth inning. Will Venable hit a lead-off triple to deep center field and he scored on a double by Nick Hundley into left field.
    Giancarlo Stanton capped things off with a one-out solo homer to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch from Tim Stauffer in the seventh inning. It was his eighth home run of the season.
    Turner, who improved to 2-0 in 2013, pitched all nine innings, gave up one run on seven hits and struck out seven batters. Stults fell to 6-6 as he allowed five earned runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Huberdeau On All-Rookie Team

    Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau has been named to the NHL All-Rookie Team by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Huberdeau was awarded the Calder Trophy for being the top rookie in the National Hockey League for the 2012-13 season. He played in all 48 games for the Cats during the lockout-shortened season and had 14 goals with 17 assists.

Dan Sileo At 640 Sports

    Dan Sileo will get a one-week tryout as the afternoon host with 640 Sports WMEN-AM that will run from July 1 until July 5. He was on the Sid Rosenberg Show on Friday morning to make the announcement. Sileo was fired by Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM back on March 4.
    Sileo joined WQAM in April 2012 when he replaced Sid Rosenberg as the afternoon host at that station. He was moved to the midday shift in early September 2012 when Jorge Sedano took over the afternoon drive. He also added post-game studio analyst duties on the Miami Hurricanes Radio Network for the 2012 season. He lost that position in early January and was suspended for two days in late January because of twitter remarks about Erin Andrews on Fox Sports.
    He played for the University of Miami Hurricanes football team in the mid-1980's as a defensive lineman. Sileo had a stint as an early morning sports host at Fox Sports Radio until late September 2002. He would host a late morning shift at WFXJ-AM in Jacksonville. He was a sports commentator on WJRR-FM in Orlando. Sileo hosted a morning show on several Clear Channel Orlando stations that included WQTM-AM, WFLF-AM and WYGM-AM from early October 2002 until October 2010.
    While in Orlando, his show was syndicated to 620 The Sports Animal WDAE-AM in Tampa Bay. Sileo was the morning host on WDAE until early March 2012 when he was let go for making racial comments about several pro football players.

Marlins Sweep Twins

    The Miami Marlins overcame a three-run first inning by Minnesota and defeated the Twins 5-3 at Marlins Park on Wednesday. The Marlins, who have won five of their last six games, completed a two-game series sweep and are now 13-9 in the month of June.
    Tom Koehler ran into trouble in the first inning as Minnesota(34-40) put up three runs. Clete Thomas walked and got to third on a throwing error by Koehler on a pick off attempt. After Brian Dozier walked, Thomas scored on a base hit to center field by Joe Mauer. Josh Willingham followed with a single into right-center field for Dozier to score. Oswaldo Arcia grounded out to first as Mauer crossed the plate. 
    Miami(27-50) evened the game during the fifth inning against Scott Diamond. Placido Polanco led off with a walk then Adeiny Hechavarria flew out to center field. Jeff Mathis followed with his first home run of the season on a 3-2 pitch that went to left field. The Fish got three consecutive base hits by Kevin Slowey, Justin Ruggiano and Ed Lucas to load the bases. Slowey scored on a ground out by Giancarlo Stanton to first.
    The Marlins took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. Logan Morrison singled to left field and then Diamond was relieved by Ryan Pressly. Polanco came up a smashed a 3-2 pitch into left field for a two-run homer. It was his first home run since he joined the club in 2013.
    Koehler pitched four innings and allowed three runs on four hits. Slowey burned his former club and upped his record to 3-6 as he gave up no runs on four hits in three innings. Diamond dropped to 5-7 as he surrendered five runs on seven hits in five-plus innings.

Marlins Stop Twins

    The Miami Marlins picked up their fourth win in their last five games with a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night at Marlins Park. The Fish play in their shortest series of the season with this two-game set.
    Minnesota(34-39) got on the scoreboard first during the third inning against Jose Fernandez. Clete Thomas went to first with a one-out walk and went to second on a base hit to left field by Brian Dozier. After a sacrifice fly out to left by Joe Mauer, former Marlin Josh Willingham singled to center field for Thomas to score.
    Miami(26-50) overtook the Twins in the sixth inning with two runs off Kevin Correia. Ed Lucas lined a one-out single to center. Giancarlo Stanton walked then Logan Morrison singled to center field to load the bases. Marcell Ozuna knocked in Lucas and Stanton with a base hit into center field.
    Derek Dietrich smacked his seventh home run of the season in the seventh inning for the Fish with a lead-off homer to right field on the first pitch off Brian Duensing. The Marlins added another run in the eighth inning on consecutive doubles to center field by Morrison and Ozuna against Josh Roenicke.
    Fernandez pitched five innings, allowed one run on three hits and did not got a decision. A.J. Ramos got his second major league career win when he hurled two scoreless innings in middle relief. Correia fell to 6-5 as he went six innings and gave up two runs on five hits.

Miami Heat Parade

    The Miami Heat celebrated their NBA title with a championship parade in the city of Miami and an indoor celebration at American Airlines Arena on Monday.  It was the second consecutive year that Miami held a parade for the team and the third championship parade since 2006. The Heat passed the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night as they now have the most team championships for a South Florida club with three.
    The outside parade was delayed for thirty minutes until 11:30 a.m. mainly because team personnel had to battle through clogged traffic on the way to the arena area. Some players did receive police escorts to arrive at American Airlines Arena. It was the same route as last year as it began on Calle Ocho/8th Street going east toward the business district, shifted to Brickell Avenue/Biscayne Boulevard going north and finished in front of American Airlines Arena. The outside festivities lasted one hour on a sunny day with some clouds and the weather was less hot than it was in 2012.
    After a fifty-minute wait to get organized, the scene moved inside the arena and was attended by the season-ticket holders and families of Miami Heat personnel. The ceremony indoors to honor the team lasted one hour and twenty minutes.

Marlins Lose In 11 Innings

    The Miami Marlins fell in 11 innings to the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Saturday at AT&T Park. The Fish had their nine-game winning streak in San Francisco snapped by the defending world champions. The last time the Giants won at home against the Marlins was on July 28, 2010.
    Ed Lucas picked up his first major league home run for Miami(24-50) during the first inning. He smacked a one-out solo home run to left field off Barry Zito on a 2-2 pitch. It would prove to be the only run for the Marlins in the game.
    San Francicso(38-36) evened it up in the fifth inning against Jacob Turner. Juan Perez led off with a double into left field. He advanced to third on a ground out to second by Nick Noonan. Perez was tagged out at home on a bunt by Zito. Gregor Blanco pounded a ground-rule double to deep right-center field as Zito scored. Marlins manager Mike Redmond was ejected for the first time as a major league manager as he argued about the runner who was rewarded home plate on the play.
    The Giants got the victory with the winning run in the 11th inning. Blanco reached base on an infield single against Mike Dunn, who was then relieved by Ryan Webb. Marco Scutaro sacrificed Blanco to second on a bunt. Blanco went to third on an infield base hit to the right side by Buster Posey. After Hunter Pence was intentionally walked to load the bases, pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez sliced a single into shallow left for Blanco to score.
    Turner went seven innings for the Marlins and allowed one run on six hits. Zito had the same exact pitching line for the Giants as he gave up one run on six hits in the seven innings he hurled.  

Marlins Leap Giants

    The Miami Marlins continued their west coast road trip as they overcame the San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Thursday night at AT&T Park. It was the first game of a four-game series against the defending world champions. The Fish are now 10-26 on the road. 
    Marlins starting pitcher Tom Koehler picked up his first major league win as he went seven innings and gave up one run on three hits. Giants starter Chad Gaudin left during the fifth inning due to a right elbow injury. He surrendered no runs on two hits in 4 1/3 innings. Steve Cishek came in the ninth inning to get his 11th save this season.
    San Francisco(37-35) broke the tie during the bottom of the seventh with a two-out rally against Koehler. Brandon Belt doubled into right-center field and then he scored on a Joaquin Arias triple to deep right field.
    Miami (23-49) rebounded in the eighth inning with two runs off Sandy Rosario. Justin Ruggiano led off with a walk and Derek Dietrich was hit by a pitch. Both advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Adeiny Hechavarria. After pinch-hitter Jeff Mathis struck out, Marcell Ozuna stroked a base hit into right field to score Ruggiano and Dietrich.

Miami Heat Win Second Straight Title

    The Miami Heat captured their second consecutive NBA championship and third overall as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on Thursday night. The Heat became only the third team not to lead the championship series once until after Game 7. The 1969 Boston Celtics and 1978 Washington Bullets also did it.
    LeBron James won the Bill Russell Trophy as the most valuable player of the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year. He joins Russell and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to win back-to-back regular season MVP awards and consecutive NBA titles. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem picked up their third NBA championship with the Heat.
    James scored 37 points which tied Tommy Heinsohn for the most points by a winning player in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. He added 12 rebounds for a double-double in 45 minutes of play. Wade also had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds in 39 minutes while Shane Battier dropped down 18 points in 29 minutes as he came off the bench. Mario Chalmers contributed 14 points in 40 minutes and Chris Bosh was held scoreless.
    Tim Duncan piled up a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds in 43 minutes while Kawhi Leonard nailed a double-double of 19 points and 16 rebounds in 45 minutes. Manu Ginobili drained 18 points in 35 minutes and Tony Parker added 10 points in 37 minutes.
    San Antonio jumped out to an 11-4 score five minutes into the game. Miami responded with a 14-4 spurt and had an 18-16 advantage after one quarter. Battier had six points for the Heat on a pair of three-point shots and Leonard had five points for the Spurs in the first quarter.
    Neither team led by more than six points in the second quarter as the Heat were up 46-44 at halftime. James had 11 points in the second quarter and 15 points at halftime while Wade compiled 14 points and six rebounds by the midway point. James and Wade combined to score 21 of the last 23 points for Miami before the half. Tim Duncan got 13 points, five rebounds and four steals for the Spurs by halftime.
    Miami was ahead 62-57 with 3:32 left in the third until San Antonio went on an 8-2 edge to get up 65-64 just 52 seconds later. Chalmers made a three-point bank shot from 30 feet away at the buzzer as the Heat held a 72-71 lead after three quarters. James had 13 points in the third and 28 overall heading into the final quarter.
    The Heat held a 88-82 lead with 3:18 to go as Battier poured in a three-point shot from the left corner. James knocked in a 19-foot shot from the right side to make it 92-88 with 29.2 seconds remaining. He would then steal the ball in the lane on a lob pass by Ginobili with 23.5 seconds to go and made two free throws to extend the Heat lead to six points. Wade wrapped it up as he made one foul shot with 16 seconds left for a 95-88 victory.

Tre Mason On Magazines

    University of Auburn Tigers running back Tre Mason appears on several college football magazine covers for the the upcoming 2013 season. South Florida Sport broke the story back on May 14 that Mason would be on the state of Alabama cover of Phil Steele's College Football Preview in mid-June. He also shows up on one of Athlon's and Lindy's SEC regional covers by himself. Jeff Driskel of Florida and A.J. McCarron of Alabama appear alone on separate Athlon's and Lindy's SEC covers.
    Mason played for the Park Vista Cobras as a running back from 2007 until 2010. He was mainly a kickoff returner during his freshman year with Auburn. He picked up more time as a running back during his sophomore year in 2012.

Arizona Takes Fish

    There was late scoring in this game as the Arizona Diamondbacks edged the Miami Marlins 3-1 on Wednesday at Chase Field. The Fish, now 9-26 on the road, lost two of three games in the series as they head to San Francisco and continue their west coast trip against the defending world champion Giants.
    Arizona(39-33) waited until the eighth inning to put up three runs to take the lead. Jason Kubel got a lead-off walk against Jose Fernandez and Josh Wilson came in as a pinch-runner. After A.J. Pollock popped out, Didi Gregorius walked. Mike Dunn came in to relieve for Fernandez and the D-backs countered as former Marlin Cody Ross pinched-hit for Eric Hinske. Ross smashed a three-run homer on a 1-2 pitch to left-center field as the Diamondbacks had a 3-0 lead.
    Miami(22-49) could only garner one run in the top of the ninth against former Marlins reliever Heath Bell. Justin Ruggiano led off with a solo homer to left-center field on a 3-2 count for his ninth home run of the season. Ed Lucas followed with a base hit to right and Giancarlo Stanton walked. The Marlins were unable to tie the game as Marcell Ozuna flied out to right, Derek Dietrich popped out to the catcher and Logan Morrison struck out. 

Heat Force Game 7

    The Miami Heat were within six seconds of elimination in Game 6 of the NBA Finals as they came back and beat the San Antonio Spurs 103-100 in overtime on Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena. The Heat are now 7-0 following a loss in the postseason. The series is tied at three games apiece and the NBA championship will be decided in Game 7 on Thursday night in Miami.
    The Heat have never played an NBA Finals Game 7 while the Spurs defeated the Detroit Pistons in seven games back in 2005. No home team has lost a Game 7 since the Seattle Supersonics lost to the Washington Bullets in 1978.
    LeBron James picked up his 11th career playoff triple-double with a team-high 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in 50 minutes for the Heat. Mario Chalmers had 20 points in 43 minutes while Dwyane Wade added 14 points in 34 minutes. Chris Bosh compiled a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. Ray Allen and Shane Battier both added nine points each as they came off the bench.
    Tim Duncan completed a double-double for the Spurs with a team-high 30 points and 17 rebounds in 40 minutes. Kawhi Leonard also gathered a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds in 46 minutes. Tony Parker knocked down 19 points with eight assists in 43 minutes. Manu Ginobili had nine points and committed eight turnovers in 35 minutes.

Stanton's 2 Homers Lift Fish

    Giancarlo Stanton smacked two home runs, which included his 100th career homer in the ninth inning, as the Miami Marlins slipped by the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Monday night at Chase Field. The Fish only had three hits in the game and they made each one of them count.
    Arizona(37-33) took the initial lead in the third inning as Paul Goldschmidt crushed a one-out solo home run to right field off Jacob Turner on a 1-0 pitch for his 16th homer in 2013.
    The D-Backs added another run in the bottom of the fifth. Gerardo Parra led off with a single to left field then Willie Bloomquist flew out to right. Parra eventually stole second and scored on a base hit by Goldschmidt to center field.
    After having no hits in the first five innings against Patrick Corbin, Miami(22-47) finally broke through during the sixth inning. Juan Pierre ended the no-hitter with a one-out single into left field. Two batters later, Stanton blasted a two-run homer to left field on a 2-2 pitch for his sixth home run of the season.
    Former Marlins pitcher Heath Bell came in to relieve for Corbin in the ninth inning. Ed Lucas struck out swinging and Stanton followed with his second home run of the game on a 1-2 count to right field. It was his seventh round-tripper this year and 100th homer in his major league career.
    Steve Cishek came in during the ninth inning for Miami, retired three straight batters and picked up his tenth save. Turner went five innings and allowed two runs on six hits. Corbin did not record a decision as he gave up two runs on two hits and struck out seven in eight innings pitched.   

Marlins Put Down Cards

    The Miami Marlins took the rubber game of a three-game series as they topped the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday at Marlins Park. The Fish, who had the worst record in the majors, beat the Cards with the best record in baseball twice in the last three days. The Cardinals were held to five hits in this game.
    Miami(23-47) struck quickly against Tyler Lyons with two runs in the first inning. Juan Pierre led off with a base hit to center and advanced to third on a double to left-center field by Giancarlo Stanton two batters later. Justin Ruggiano knocked both of them in on a single to right-center field.
    St. Louis(44-25) put up one run in the third inning off Ricky Nolasco. Daniel Descalso hit a lead-off single to right field and later went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Lyons. Two batters later, Jon Jay brought Descalso in on a single to left field.
    In the fourth inning, the Marlins added two runs with a two-out rally. Placido Polanco, who was facing his former team, singled into right-center field. Jeff Mathis was hit by a pitch and Nolasco walked to load the bases. Polanco and Mathis came in on a two-run single by Juan Pierre to right.
    Two more runs by the Fish in the fifth inning made it 6-1. Ruggiano reached base on an infield single. After Derek Dietrich popped out to first, Adeiny Hechavarria got a base hit to center as Ruggiano went to third on the play. Polanco doubled to center field which scored Ruggiano and Hechavarria with two out.
    Seth Maness allowed one run in the bottom of the seventh to the Marlins. Ruggiano grounded out and Dietrich then doubled to left field. Dietrich scored when Hechavarria followed with a base hit to right field.
    The Redbirds mustered one run in the top of the ninth against Chad Qualls. Allen Craig walked with one out and advanced to second on a David Freese ground out. Matt Adams knocked Adams in on a single to left-center field.
    Nolasco upped his record to 4-7 as he allowed one run on three hits in seven innings pitched. Lyons surrendered six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings as he fell to 2-3.

Spurs One Win From Title

    It was not close as it appeared in Game 5 as the San Antonio Spurs handed the Miami Heat a 114-104 loss on Sunday night at AT&T Center. The Spurs lead the best-of-seven series three games to two and can clinch their fifth NBA title on Tuesday night in Miami.
    All five Spurs starters scored in double figures. Manu Ginobili got his first start this season and compiled a double-double with 24 points and 10 assists in 33 minutes played. Tim Duncan also added a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes. Tony Parker had a team-high 26 points with five assists in 36 minutes while Kawhi Leonard got 16 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Danny Green, who had 24 points, set an NBA Finals record as he has made 25 three-point shots in the series. He surpassed Ray Allen who scored 22 three-point shots for the Boston Celtics in the 2007-08 NBA championship series.
    Dwyane Wade nailed a double-double for the Heat as he had 25 points and 10 assists in 40 minutes. LeBron James knocked down 25 points with eight assists and six rebounds in 44 minutes. Allen led all reserves with 21 points in 30 minutes while Chris Bosh contributed 16 points and six rebounds in 38 minutes.
    San Antonio had a 15-2 rally at the end of the opening quarter and were ahead 32-19 after one period. The Spurs extended their lead up to 17 points midway through the second quarter 47-30, but Miami was able to cut the margin down to five points late in the period. The Spurs led 61-52 as they entered halftime.
    Miami scored the first eight points of the second half to pull within one point of the Spurs, however San Antonio held them off with a 12-1 edge at the end of the period and were up 87-75 after three quarters. The Spurs scored the first seven points of the final quarter as they stretched a 19-1 run between the two periods. The Heat came as close as eight points with 1:37 left, but San Antonio made the next two baskets and put the game away.

Jonathan Huberdeau Wins Rookie Award

    Florida Panthers Jonathan Huberdeau has been awarded the Calder Trophy for the top rookie player in the National Hockey League for the 2012-13 season. It was the first league trophy held by any Panthers player that was voted on. Pavel Bure received the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy on two occasions when he led the NHL in most goals scored in a season back in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
    Huberdeau played all 48 games in the short season for the Cats as he compiled 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points. He was selected by Florida during the 2011 NHL Draft in the first round as the third overall pick.

Marlins Edge Redbirds

    The Miami Marlins held on to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Friday night at Marlins Park. It was a game in which the team with the worst record in major league baseball beat the team with the best record.
    Jose Fernandez improved to 4-3 as he went seven innings for the Fish, allowed two earned runs on three hits and struck out ten . He became the first pitcher under 21 years old to strike out at least ten batters since Felix Hernandez in 2007. Jake Westbrook dropped to 2-2 as he gave up three earned runs on eight hits in five innings pitched.
    St. Louis(43-24), who have an all-time record of 48-29 in Miami, put up two quick runs during the first inning against Fernandez. Matt Carpenter had a lead-off base hit into right field. Two batters later, he scored on a one-out single to left field by Allen Craig. Matt Holliday scored on a single to right field by Yadier Molina.
    Miami(20-46) tied the game with two runs off Westbrook in the bottom of the second. Derek Dietrich got to first on a Carpenter fielding error at second and then Adeiny Hechavarria singled to center field. Both advanced one base when Greg Dobbs grounded out to second. Jeff Mathis grounded out to second for Dietrich to score. Fernandez help his own cause when he singled to center field as Hechavarria scored.
    The Fish took the lead in the fourth inning. Dietrich had a lead-off base hit and was out at second on a fielder's choice. Dobbs followed with a double into left field as Hechavarria scored from first.
    In the fifth inning, the Marlins extended their lead to 5-2. Juan Pierre started with a double into left field and Ed Lucas was hit by a pitch. Both crossed the plate on double to deep center field by Giancarlo Stanton.
    The Cardinals cut the margin down to 5-3 in the sixth inning. Craig began with a single into center field. Three batters later, Craig scored on a two-out double by Jon Jay to deep center field.
    The Redbirds had one last rally against Chad Qualls in eighth inning, but they fell short of the win. After a lead-off single by Holliday, Craig struck out and Molina grounded out to the pitcher. David Freese knocked in Holliday with a two-out double to right field. Mike Dunn was brought in for Qualls and struck out Jay to end the frame.

Jesse Agler Dolphins TV Voice

    940 The Sports Animal WINZ-AM afternoon host Jesse Agler has been named the new television play-by-play announcer for Miami Dolphins preseason games. Agler will announce four games and will not work the Hall Of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio between the Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys on August 4. He did announce one preseason game on radio in 2011 as the team slid regular play-by-play announcer Jimmy Cefalo to a game analyst alongside Joe Rose.
    He replaces Dick Stockton as the Dolphins preseason television voice. Stockton, who does work for Fox Sports as an NFL and baseball play-by-play announcer, did the Dolphins exhibition season from 2010 when he replaced Craig Bolerjack until 2012.
    Agler, a University of Miami grad, began at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM as a sports anchor and later became a morning sports anchor at that station. He was named the studio host for the Florida Panthers Radio Network prior to the start of the 2005-06 season. He also added duties as the studio host for the Florida Marlins Radio Network. He lost both positions when the radio rights switched from WQAM to 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM.
    He moved to 790 The Ticket where he was a weekend sports anchor for several months. He returned back to WQAM as a sports anchor and became the studio host for the Miami Hurricanes Radio Network for several years.
    Agler joined Clear Channel Miami in early 2010 when he replaced Jeremy Marks-Peltz as the morning sports anchor for News Radio 610 WIOD-AM. He also became a sports anchor at 940 The Sports Animal WINZ-AM and was later promoted to host a new show called The Finsiders during afternoon drive along with being named the new pregame and halftime host of the Miami Dolphins Radio Network in July 2010.

Heat Get Game 4 From Spurs

    The Miami Heat evened up the NBA Finals with a 109-93 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on Thursday night. The best-of-seven series is now tied a two games apiece with Game 5 to be played on Sunday night in San Antonio.
    LeBron James put up big numbers for the Heat with a team-high 33 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes of play. Dwyane Wade added 32 points, six rebounds, four assists and a playoff career-high six steals in 40 minutes. Chris Bosh contributed a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds in 38 minutes. Ray Allen had 14 points in 34 minutes as he came off the bench.
    Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 20 points and five rebounds in 33 minutes while Tony Parker fell short of a double-double as he piled up 15 points and nine assists in 32 minutes. Kawhi Leonard knocked down 12 points along with seven rebounds in 33 minutes and Danny Green poured in 10 points in 36 minutes. Reserve Gary Neal scored 13 points in 31 minutes.
    San Antonio moved out to a 15-5 lead in the first five minutes of the game, but Miami finished the period on a 24-11 spurt and were ahead 29-26 after one quarter. The Heat were able to bump the margin up to double digits at 41-31 with 6:58 left in the first half. The Spurs got an 11-2 edge in the final three minutes of the second quarter as both teams went into halftime tied at 49-49.
    Neither team led by more than six points in the third period as Miami led 81-76 after three quarters. The Heat broke out with a 19-9 run at the start of the fourth quarter and were up 100-85 with 5:16 remaining. The Spurs got no closer than 12 points away down the stretch.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Ratings May 2013

    Once again 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM was the highest rated sports station in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region for the fifth straight month during May. The station had a four-month reign from April until July in 2012 as their previous long tenure on top in the market. The four radio stations with sports format in the area all increased in the ratings and did not fall.
    790 The Ticket remained flat for the third consecutive month with a 1.1 in May. They kept up their regular standard due to the Miami Heat playoff run and their push to a second straight NBA title. Some of their audience also began to hear their simulcast more on the FM signal as 104.3 The Ticket began to transmit from Miramar for the full ratings period instead of from Palm Beach County.
    Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM got out of their one month drop and improved from a 0.7 to a 0.9 in the month of May. The jump in the ratings that they got was due to John Renshaw, a.k.a. The Freak, who worked his first complete ratings period since he began the midday shift on April 22.
    104.3 The Ticket moved up from a 0.5 to a 0.6 in May. Along with broadcasting the Heat playoff run, the station picked up more audience as they transmitted their signal of its 790 The Ticket simulcast from Miramar for the entire ratings period and not from Palm Beach County.
    After three consecutive months at a 0.2, 940 The Sports Animal WINZ-AM went up to a 0.3 in May. The improvement was due to their morning show with Steve Goldstein and Jeff DeForrest. Goldstein, who is employed as a sports anchor at WFOR-TV Channel 4, worked every weekday throughout the entire ratings period as his television play-by-play announcer duties with the Florida Panthers finished on April 27.

Game 3: Spurs Dominate Heat

    The Miami Heat went through a rude awakening in Game 3 on Tuesday night as they were routed by the San Antonio Spurs 113-77 at AT&T Center. It was the largest playoff defeat by the Heat in franchise history and the 36-point margin was the third largest in NBA Finals history. The Spurs set an NBA Finals record with 16 three-point shots made in one game.
    LeBron James compiled a double-double for Miami with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes of play. Chris Bosh also picked up a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes while Dwyane Wade added a team-high 16 points with five assists and four steals in 34 minutes. Reserve Mike Miller had 15 points in 22 minutes and Mario Chalmers was held scoreless.
    The Spurs got excessive scoring from Danny Green with a team-high 27 points in 31 minutes and Gary Neal who came off the bench with 24 points in 25 minutes. Tim Duncan knocked down a double-double with 12 points with 14 rebounds in 29 minutes while Kawhi Leonard also had a double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds and four steals. Tony Parker was held to six points and eight assists in 27 minutes.
    With the exception of a 2-2 tie, San Antonio led the entire game from wire-to-wire. The Spurs scooted out to an 11-4 lead at the start of the game and were ahead 24-20 after one quarter. The Heat fell behind by double digits at 43-32 with 3:27 left in the first half before they scored ten consecutive points during a 12-1 rally to tie the game. They gave up two three-point shots by Parker and Neal in the final 26 seconds and were down 50-44 at halftime.
    San Antonio extended their margin to 21 points as they got on 23-8 run at the start of the third quarter and were up 73-52 with 2:56 left in the period. They held a 78-53 lead at the end of three quarters. The Spurs outscored the Heat 35-14 in the fourth quarter to make this a lopsided victory for them. Miami was down 102-71 with 5:43 left in the game when they pulled out their starting lineup.

Marlins Win Again In Extras

    The Miami Marlins needed extra innings for the second straight game to get by the New York Mets 8-4 in ten innings on Sunday at Citi Field. It was the first time since 1989 that two clubs followed a 20-inning game with another extra inning game. The Fish swept the Metropolitans for the second time this season in this two-game series. The Marlins are 8-3 against the Mets this season and 10-41 against the rest of the league.
    Miami(18-44) got the lead in the top of the second against Jonathon Niese. Marcell Ozuna began with a single into left field. Three batters later, Adeiny Hechavarria  had a two-out base hit to right which brought in Ozuna.
    New York(23-35) evened the game in the bottom of the second. Daniel Murphy smashed a lead-off solo home run on a 1-1 count off Tom Koehler for his fifth homer of the year.
    The Mets picked up their only lead of the game in the following inning with three runs to make it 4-1. Juan Lagares started the frame with an infield single and then Niese walked. Omar Quintanilla was able to load the bases with a bunt single. Two batters later, David Wright delivered a one-out double into deep center field to score Lagares and Niese. Quintanilla crossed the plate as Murphy grounded out to second.
    The Fish inched their way back with two runs in the sixth inning on a one-out rally. After Juan Pierre struck out, Ed Lucas and Derek Dietrich both singled to center field. Ozuna knocked them in on a double into the right-center field gap.
    The Marlins were able to tie the game 4-4 in the eighth inning as Scott Rice relieved for LaTroy Hawkins. Dietrich led off and smacked a 3-2 pitch to right field for a solo home run. It was his fifth homer of the season.
    The game would go into extra innings and the Marlins capitalized on it with four runs in the tenth inning. Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano started with base hits to center field. With Hechavarria at-bat, Morrison scored on a fielder's choice error by Murphy and Ruggiano advanced to third. Greg Dobbs came up to pinch hit then the Mets made a pitching change as Robert Carson entered the game. Ruggiano scored on a sacrifice fly to left field and Miguel Olivo followed with a two-run homer, his fourth this season, to left-center field on a 2-2 pitch.
    Koehler went seven innings and allowed four runs on six hits for the Fish. Niese gave up two earned runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. Chad Qualls got his first victory of the season as he pitched just to two batters in the ninth inning and struck them both out.  

Mia Harris At Total Traffic

    Mia Harris has joined Total Traffic Network in Miami as a traffic anchor and can be heard announcing afternoon traffic updates on News Radio 610 WIOD-AM. Harris rejoined 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM for her second stint at that station as the morning sports anchor and midday sports anchor in October 2012. She also had the same duties on 104.3 The Ticket WAXY-FM which was a simulcast of 790 The Ticket.
    Harris, a Syracuse University grad, began her professional broadcasting career as a studio production person at ESPN and an associate producer with the Miami Heat. She then landed her first stint at 790 The Ticket as a sports anchor. Harris moved to Los Angeles to work for ESPN 710 KSPN-AM as an afternoon sports anchor and later at Fox Sports Radio as a weekend sports anchor.
    She went back to the east coast and worked at Sirius Radio as a sports anchor. Harris then moved to Sports Radio 66 WFAN-AM in New York City to become a sports anchor. She was elevated to the New York Giants reporter position and later worked as the New York Jets reporter. Harris followed that as a part-time sports anchor at MLB.com before she returned to Miami.

Heat Rout Spurs To Tie Finals

    The Miami Heat pounded through with a major rally of 33-5 during the second half as they blew out the San Antonio Spurs 103-84 in Game 2 on Sunday night at American Airlines Arena. The best-of-seven series is now tied at one game apiece with the next three games to be played in San Antonio. The Heat avoided losing two straight games for the first time since January 8 and 10.
    Mario Chalmers had a team-high 19 points for the Heat in 35 minutes of play. LeBron James scored 17 points with eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocked shots and three steals in 41 minutes while Chris Bosh compiled a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. Dwyane Wade added 10 points with six assists in 30 minutes and Ray Allen got 13 points.
    Two players for the Spurs fell short of a double-double as Tim Duncan knocked down nine points with 11 rebounds in 30 minutes Kawhi Leonard had nine points with 14 rebounds in 33 minutes. Danny Green scored a team-high 17 points in 30 minutes while Tony Parker contributed 13 points with five assists and five turnovers in 33 minutes. Manu Ginobili was held to five points in 18 minutes.
    The Spurs began the game 11-6 until the Heat came back as both teams were tied 22-22 after one quarter. Neither team led by more than five points during the second quarter as Miami was ahead 50-45 at halftime.
    After giving up an eight-point lead early in the third quarter, the Heat went on a 14-3 spurt at the end of the period to go up by double digits 75-65. Miami continued to roll as they came through with a 19-2 rally at the start of the fourth quarter and led 94-67 with 7:13 remaining. It was a combined 33-5 run against San Antonio that carried between the periods. Both teams pulled their starters with five minutes left in the game. 

Marlins Win In 20 Innings

    The Miami Marlins tied a franchise record as they played 20 innings to defeat the New York Mets 2-1 on Saturday at Citi Field. The Marlins lost a 20-inning home game against the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on April 27, 2003. It was the longest game played at Citi Field which opened in 2009.
    New York(23-34) scored their only run of the game against Jose Fernandez during the second inning as they took the early lead. Ike Davis led off with a walk and John Buck followed with a line out to short. Juan Lagares drove Davis in with a double into the left-center field gap.
    In the fourth inning, Miami(17-44) was able to tie it up against Matt Harvey. Derek Dietrich singled to right field with one out and advanced to third on a base hit by Marcell Ozuna into center. Chris Coghlan then hit a sacrifice fly to right field for Dietrich to score.
    Fernandez pitched six innings for the Fish, allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven. Harvey gave up one run on six hits and struck out six in seven innings. Both players started in a 15-inning game back on April 29 in Miami where the Marlins won 4-3. It was the first time since 1884 where the same two starting pitchers began two games that went at least 15 innings in one season.
    The game remained tied as the game went into extra innings. The Mets almost won it in the 12th inning. They had two men on base with one out when Marlon Byrd hit a line drive down the right-field line which was caught by Ozuna. Daniel Murphy tagged up from third and was thrown out at the plate as Ozuna fired it in on one bounce.
    The Fish scored the go-ahead run off Shaun Marcum in the 20th inning to win the game. Placido Polanco singled to right and went to third on a base hit by Rob Brantly to left-center field. Adeiny Hechavarria knocked in Polanco on a single to center field.
    Kevin Slowey took the win and improved to 2-5. He went seven innings in relief, gave up no runs on eight hits and struck out eight. Marcum dropped to 0-7 as he surrendered one run on five hits and struck out seven in eight innings of relief.

Daniel Gray Leaves Tennessee

    Former Boyd Anderson defensive back Daniel Gray has transferred from the University of Tennessee to Utah State University. Gray played in 2012 for the Volunteers as a true freshman where he played in eight games. He would be ineligible to play for Utah State in 2013 and have three years left of eligibility remaining as of the 2014 season.
    Gray played his high school football career with the Boyd Anderson Cobras. He joins former high school teammates Bruce Natson and Travis Reynolds who are both wide receivers with the Utah State Aggies. During Gray's senior season in 2011, Boyd Anderson forfeited the District 14-7A title during the final week of the regular season for using three ineligible players in the first seven games.

Spurs Take Game 1 From Heat

    The defending NBA champion Miami Heat fell short to the San Antonio Spurs 92-88 on Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena. The Heat, who entered their third consecutive championship series, lost the opening game like they did in the 2006 and 2012 NBA Finals which they eventually won. The Spurs, who have never lost a series in the NBA Finals in the history of their franchise, won the first game of the NBA Finals as they have on four other occasions.
    LeBron James pulled off a special performance for the Heat with a triple-double as he had a team-high 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 rebounds in 42 minutes. It was the third career triple-double that he compiled in an NBA Finals game. Dwyane Wade added 17 points in 36 minutes while Chris Bosh knocked down 13 points with five rebounds in 35 minutes. Miami had help from the bench as Ray Allen got 13 points in 24 minutes.
    Tim Duncan, looking for his fifth NBA title with the Spurs, picked up a double-double with 20 points, 14 rebounds and four assists in 37 minutes. Tony Parker dropped down 21 points with six assists in 40 minutes and reserve Manu Ginobili contributed 13 points in 30 minutes. Danny Green hit 12 points while Kawhi Leonard got a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
    San Antonio began the game on a 9-2 edge and the seven-point margin would be their biggest lead until late in the final quarter. Miami bounced back with an 11-2 run and would get ahead 24-23 after one quarter. The Heat extended their lead to 38-29 with a 14-6 rally to start the second quarter. They were up the entire period and led 52-49 at halftime.
    The Spurs fell behind by seven points early in the third quarter, trailed throughout the period and were down 72-69 as they entered the final quarter. San Antonio had an 8-4 spurt at the start of the fourth quarter and took their first lead since the first quarter 77-76 with 7:47 remaining. The Spurs later had a 11-3 rally in the middle of the period and were up 88-81 with 2:17 to go. The Heat were able to pull within two points at 90-88 on two free throws by James with 31 seconds left. Parker answered with a field goal from the right side as the 24-second clock buzzer went off and just five seconds left in regulation.

Rashad Greene On Magazine

    Florida State University Seminoles wide receiver Rashad Greene appears on the cover of Athlon's ACC magazine along with University of Miami running back Duke Johnson for the 2013 season. Johnson, a Norland grad, has showed up on numerous magazine covers which includes Phil Steele, Sporting News and Lindy's.
    Greene is entering his junior year with the Seminoles and had been with them since 2011. He played for the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in his final two seasons of high school football and helped the team win the FHSAA Class 5A state championship in 2010.

Marlins Swept By Phillies

    The Miami Marlins lost the final game of a three-game series to the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies were able to sweep the Marlins as the Fish fell to 6-24 on the road.
    Philadelphia(30-30) got the initial lead with a two-out rally in the second inning against Jacob Turner. John Mayberry Jr., who last night became the first player ever to hit two extra inning home runs which included a walk-off grand slam homer, singled to left field. Erik Kratz knocked him in with a double down the left-field line.
    Derek Dietrich blasted a one-out solo homer to right field off Cole Hamels on a 0-1 pitch in the fourth inning for Miami(16-44). It was his fourth home run this season.
    The Phillies broke the game open in the seventh inning with five runs off A.J. Ramos. With one out, Delmon Young singled to left and Ben Revere singled into right field. After a Michael Young fly out to right field, Jimmy Rollins drove in pinch-runner Cesar Hernandez with a base hit to center field. Ryan Howard ripped a triple to deep center field to score Revere and Rollins. Domonic Brown pounded a 3-1 pitch for a two-run homer to right field and a Phillies 6-1 lead. It was his 18th home run in 2013.
    Turner pitched six innings and gave up one run on four hits. Hamels upped his record to 2-9 as he allowed one run on four hits in seven innings and struck out 11. Ramos moved to 0-2 as he surrendered five runs on five hits in one inning.

Marlins Fall In 11 Innings

    John Mayberry Jr. smacked a walk-off grand slam homer in the 11th inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 7-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. It was the first time in baseball history that someone hit two extra inning homers in which the second one was a game-winning walk-off grand slam home run. The Marlins dropped to 6-23 on the road this season.
    Miami(16-43) took the lead during the second inning against Jonathan Pettibone. Marcell Ozuna led off with a double to left field then Derek Dietrich singled to left field. Ozuna made it 1-0 when Casey Kotchman grounded out to short.
    The Fish added another run in the fifth inning to increase their margin. Adeiny Hechavarria started with a base hit to right-center field and stole second. Rob Brantly would get a single to left field for Hechavarria to score.
    Philadelphia(29-30) evened the contest during the seventh inning with two runs off Ricky Nolasco. Ryan Howard got a lead-off double to right field. After Domonic Brown struck out, Delmon Young powered a double to deep center field as Howard scored. Two batters later, pinch-hitter Erik Kratz knocked in Young on a double off the right-field wall.
    The game went into extra innings as both teams scored a run in the tenth. Juan Pierre scored for Miami from third base with one out on a wild pitch. Mayberry hit a solo home run for the Phillies with none out off Steve Cishek on a 2-2 pitch to left-center field.
    The Phils ended it in the 11th inning with a long rally against Edgar Olmos. Brown raced to first base on a fielding error by Olmos with one out and pinch-hitter Kyle Kendrick sacrificed him to second. Freddy Galvis was intentionally walked and Kratz followed with a walk to load the bases. Mayberry came up and hit his second home run of the game which was a grand slam to left field on a 1-1 pitch.

Heat Head Back To NBA Finals

    The Miami Heat pulled out a dominant performance as they wrapped up the Eastern Conference Finals with a 99-76 victory over the Indiana Pacers in game 7 at American Airlines Arena on Monday night. They won their third straight Eastern Conference title and became the first team to do that since Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls from 1996 until 1998. The Heat will open the NBA Finals at home against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night.
    LeBron James piled up 32 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Heat in 41 minutes of play. Dwyane Wade had his best scoring output since game 2 of the first round with 21 points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes. Chris Bosh added nine points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes while Ray Allen dropped in 10 points as a reserve.
    Roy Hibbert, who fouled out midway through in the fourth quarter, led the Pacers with a team-high 18 points and eight rebounds in 38 minutes. David West contributed 14 points and six rebounds in 37 minutes and George Hill knocked down 13 points in the loss.
    Neither team had more than a five-point lead in the opening quarter as Indiana was up 21-19 after one period. The Heat outscored the Pacers 33-16 in the second quarter and finished the first half on a 24-10 run to lead 52-37.
    Miami extended their lead to over 20 points as they ended the third quarter on a 10-2 spurt and moved ahead 76-55. The Heat increased their margin to 91-63 with 5:30 remaining on a 12-2 edge and pulled their starters out of the game with four minutes to go.

Phillies Stomp Marlins

    The Miami Marlins tried to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games, but they were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2 on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.
    Miami(16-42) scored the first two runs of the game during the third inning off Kyle Kendrick. Juan Pierre had a one-out single to shallow center field and Ed Lucas got a walk. Derek Dietrich drove Pierre in on a single to right field. Marcell Ozuna followed with a base hit to shallow left field for Lucas to score.
    Philadelphia(28-30) bounced back in the fifth inning and picked up three runs to take the lead. Tom Koehler surrendered a lead-off home run by Erik Kratz to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch. Two batters later, Kendrick tripled to deep center field and then scored on a single by Ben Revere to left field. Cesar Hernandez brought in Revere on ground out after he stole second and went to third on a throwing error. 
    The Phillies added four more runs in the sixth inning against Ryan Webb as Ryan Howard started with a double to deep center field. Domonic Brown smacked a two-run homer on a 2-2 pitch to right field and Delmon Young followed with a solo home run to left field on a 1-1 pitch. After Kratz struck out, Freddy Galvis tripled into deep right field. Kendrick grounded out to short as Galvis crossed the plate.
    Koehler dropped to 0-4 this season as he gave up four earned runs on seven hits in five innings. Kendrick pitched a complete game as he went nine innings, allowed two runs on six hits and raised his record to 6-3.

Marlins Sweep Mets

    The Miami Marlins swept their first series this season with three straight wins over the New York Mets this weekend at Marlins Park. The Marlins entered the three-game set on a nine-game losing streak while the Mets had just completed a four-game season series sweep over the New York Yankees for the first time in their crosstown rivalry.
    The Marlins won the first game on Friday 5-1 as they scored four runs in the seventh inning to break it open. Fish starting pitcher Jacob Turner got his first win of season and Marcell Ozuna extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
    Jose Fernandez pitched seven scoreless innings on Saturday as Miami routed New York 8-1. Ozuna had his hit streak snapped as he finished with the second best rookie streak in franchise history behind Edgar Renteria.
    Miami(16-41) came out ahead Sunday with an 11-6 victory over New York(22-32) on Sunday. It was a back-and-forth game as the Marlins put up three runs in the first inning. The Mets took the lead in the fifth inning and were up 6-4. The Fish retook the lead during the sixth inning with three runs.  

Pacers Force Game 7

    The Eastern Conference Finals will go the complete distance as the Indiana Pacers stopped the Miami Heat 91-77 in game 6 on Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The 77 points for the Heat was a regular season and playoff low for the team. Game 7 will be played on Monday night in Miami.
    LeBron James led the charge for the Heat with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 42 minutes. Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers both added 10 points each. Chris Bosh was held to five points in 31 minutes.
    Paul George had a team-high 28 points with eight rebounds and five assists in 43 minutes for the Pacers. Two starting players for Indiana had a double-double for the team. Roy Hibbert dropped down 24 points with 11 rebounds in 42 minutes while David West got 11 points with 14 rebounds in 36 minutes. George Hill contributed 16 points and six assists.
    Miami scored the first five points of the game as they were up 23-21 after one quarter. After the Heat put in the first basket in the second quarter, the Pacers ripped off ten consecutive points to go ahead 31-25. Miami crawled back and led 40-39 at halftime.
    Indiana blasted out on a 25-8 run at the beginning of the third quarter and led 68-55 at the end of the period. The Heat made a 13-4 run early in the final quarter as they were behind 72-68 with 5:52 remaining. The Pacers piled on nine straight points and increased their lead to double digits.