Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Marlins Get By Mets

    The Miami Marlins bounced back with a 3-2 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night at Marlins Park. The Marlins upped their home record to 24-30 this season.
    Jake Marisnick hit his first major league home run during the second inning for Miami(41-65). He smacked a 1-0 pitch from Jenrry Mejia over the left-field wall with two out.
    The Fish extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third. Henderson Alvarez led off with an infield single and Christian Yelich then doubled to left field. Alvarez would score on a sacrifice fly to right field by Placido Polanco and Yelich crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to left field by Giancarlo Stanton.
    New York(48-57) broke the shutout in the top of the sixth inning with a two-out rally against Alvarez. Marlon Byrd reached base on an infield single and Ike Davis knocked him in with a double into deep right field.
    The Mets closed the margin to 3-2 in the eighth inning. Eric Young Jr. scored from third on a wild pitch by Chad Qualls with one out.
    Alvarez raised his record to 2-1 as he allowed two runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings. Mejia fell to 1-1 as he pitched six innings and surrendered three runs on six hits. Mike Dunn got his second save of the year as he hurled 1 1/3 innings and gave up only one hit.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Mets Slip By Marlins

    The Miami Marlins were hitless in the first six innings as they lost to the New York Mets 4-2 in 10 innings at Marlins Park on Tuesday night. Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler had a no-hitter through 6 1/3 innings until it was broken up by Ed Lucas.
    In the fourth inning, New York(48-56) picked up two runs against Nathan Eovaldi to take the early lead. David Wright began with a double to center field and advanced to third as Marlon Byrd flew out to right. Two batters later, former Marlin John Buck walked with two out. Juan Lagares followed with a triple into right-center field to score Wright and Buck.
    Wheeler had a no-hitter after six innings until Miami(40-65) got to him during the bottom of the seventh. After Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Logan Morrison was able to walk. Lucas got the first hit of the game for the Fish as he sliced a single to right field. Donovan Solano knocked in Morrison with a base hit down the left-field line to make it 2-1. Jake Marisnick then picked up his first RBI in the big leagues with a single into shallow center field as Lucas crossed the plate to tie the game.
    The game would go into extra innings as the Mets added two runs during the tenth inning off Steve Cishek. They compiled consecutive singles into right field by Wright and Byrd to start the frame. Ike Davis then walked to load the bases with none out. Wright and Byrd would score on a base hit by Buck into center field and regain the lead 4-2.
    Wheeler went seven innings for the Metropolitans as he surrendered two runs on three hits. Eovaldi hurled six innings as he gave up two runs on four hits. Cishek allowed two runs on three hits in one inning of work as he dropped to 3-6 this season.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Marlins Lose To Mets

    There were several big rallies and lead changes in this game as the Miami Marlins fell to the New York Mets 6-5 at Marlins Park on Monday night. The Marlins had a five-game winning streak against the Mets snapped.
    New York(47-56) jumped out to a 3-0 lead during the third inning against Jacob Turner. Daniel Murphy slapped a two-out single to left field for Anthony Recker and Omar Quintanilla to score. David Wright followed with a double into the left-field corner which brought in Murphy.
    Their lead slipped away as Miami(40-64) put up a three-spot in the bottom of the fourth inning off Jeremy Hefner. Two batters after Giancarlo Stanton led off with a double to deep center field, he scored on an RBI-triple to center by Ed Lucas. The Marlins would later load the bases with two out in the frame. Lucas and Donovan Solano would score on an error by Quintanilla as Turner reached first.
    The Fish would take their only lead of the game in the sixth inning with two runs. Lucas advanced to third on a single to left-center field by Christian Yelich as he took second on the throw with one out. Both scored on a single by Jeff Mathis into left field and gave the Marlins a 5-3 lead.
    The Mets would regain the lead with another three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Mike Dunn relieved Turner with one out and gave up two consecutive hits. Eric Young Jr. doubled to deep left field and scored on a single by Murphy into center. The Fish made another pitching change as A.J. Ramos came into the game. After Wright flew out to right, Murphy stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Marlon Byrd knocked in Murphy on a base hit into center and he would cross the plate with the game-winning run when the next batter Ike Davis doubled to right field.

Jose Fernandez Mows Down Bucs

    Jose Fernandez had a career-high 13 strikeouts as the Miami Marlins held on to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday at Marlins Park. The Fish won their second straight series as they have won five of their last seven games.
    It was a pitching matchup between two rookies who could have an impact on major league baseball for years to come. Along with a career-high 13 strikeouts, Fernandez gave up two runs on five hits in eight innings pitched as he improved to 7-5. Gerrit Cole fell to 5-4 as he went seven innings for the Pirates, struck out eight and allowed three runs on four hits. Steve Cishek relieved in the ninth inning and got his 22nd save of the year.
    Pittsburgh(61-42) raced out to a 2-0 lead during the second inning. Pedro Alvarez led off with a base hit to right and scored on an RBI-double by Russell Martin into left-center field. Three batters later, Clint Barmes stroked a single into center field for Martin to score.
    In the bottom of the fourth, Miami(40-63) evened up the game with two runs. Giancarlo Stanton got on base with a one-out walk and Logan Morrison followed with a base hit to right field. Stanton scored and Morrison advanced to third on a single by Ed Lucas to right. Morrison would score on a sacrifice fly by Donovan Solano to center field.
    With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Stanton blasted a solo home run to center field on the first pitch from Cole for the go-ahead run and his 13th homer of the season. It was his third home run in the last six games.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Marlins Blank Pirates

    The Marlins returned to Miami and began a ten-game homestand with a 2-0 shutout over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night at Marlins Park. The Fish, who are now 15-7 at home since May 31, picked up their third shutout of the season.
    Henderson Alvarez picked up his first win as a Marlin since he was acquired by the team during the off-season from Toronto. He allowed no runs on two hits in six innings and upped his record to 1-1. Pittsburgh(60-41) starting pitcher Jeff Locke dropped to 9-3 as he gave up two runs on eight hits and struck out a career-high nine batters in 6 2/3 innings. Steve Cishek piled up his fourth save this week and his 21st save this year.
    Miami(39-62) broke the scoreless tie during the sixth inning. After Logan Morrison grounded out to first, Donovan Solano walked. Jake Marisnick got his first major league base hit with a single into center field and Jeff Mathis followed with a walk to load the bases for the Fish. Placido Polanco came in to pinch-hit by Alvarez and squeaked an infield single to the left side for Solano to score.
    Giancarlo Stanton connected with a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the seventh on a 3-1 pitch to left field for his 12th homer this season.  

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Marlins Edge Rockies

    The Miami Marlins finished a four-game series in Denver with a 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at Coors Field. The Marlins took three of the four games in the series and are now 17-35 on the road.
    Neither team was able to score prior to a rain delay that was called in the middle of the seventh inning. Both teams had a combined five hits at that point of the game. The game would not resume for another 93 minutes.
    Miami(38-62) picked up a two-out rally during the eighth inning and got the lead against Adam Ottavino. Rob Brantly slapped a base hit to right field and advanced to third on a single to right by pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs. With Adeiny Hechavarria at-bat, Brantly scored on a wild pitch by Ottavino.
    The Marlins captured some insurance with another four runs in the top of the ninth off Wilton Lopez. Christian Yelich cranked a lead-off ground-rule double to left field and Giancarlo Stanton followed with a double to deep left field for Yelich to score. After Stanton went to third on a fly out to center by Logan Morrison, Ed Lucas drove him in with a chopper through the middle of the infield. Donovan Solano capped it with a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch for his second home run of the season.
    Colorado(49-54) broke the shutout in the bottom of the ninth against Kevin Slowey. Jordan Pacheco started with a base hit to left field and he scored on a double by Michael Cuddyer to the center-field wall. Wilin Rosario then singled up the middle to center field which brought in Cuddyer. He advanced to second on the throw and Steve Cishek had to come in and relieve for Slowey. Two batters later, Rosario crossed the plate on a shallow hit to right field by Nolan Arenado. Cishek got Jonathan Herrera to ground into a double play to end the contest.
    Nathan Eovaldi went six innings for the Fish until the rain delay and allowed no runs on three hits. Rockies starting pitcher Juan Nicasio struck out nine and gave up no runs on two hits in seven innings.

Judy Battista At NFL Network

    Former Miami sportswriter Judy Battista has joined the NFL Network and NFL.com. She will leave her role as the National Football League writer for the New York Times. She started in that organization in December 1998 as a college basketball writer until April 1999. Battista was elevated as the New York Mets beat reporter for the 1999 season. She was then moved to cover the New York Jets in March 2000.
    Bautista, a University of Miami grad, was first known as a Broward County news reporter and then as a sports reporter at Miami Herald until October 1996. She moved to New York City in November 1996 to work at Newsday for two years. She covered both college basketball and the New York Knicks in her time there.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Rockies Get By Marlins

    The Miami Marlins fell short in a 2-1 loss against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Wednesday night. The Marlins have lost four of their six games since the all-star break.
    Jacob Turner dropped to 3-3 for the Fish as he pitched six innings and surrendered two runs on six hits. Jorge De La Rosa went six innings for the Rockies and gave up no runs on five hits to raise his record to 10-5.
    Colorado(49-53) got a two-out rally in the second inning to take the lead. Todd Helton doubled to deep left field and Nolan Arenado followed with a base hit to left which scored Helton.
    In the fifth inning, the Rockies padded their margin with an additional run. Yorvit Torrealba led off with a single to left-center field and advanced to second on a De La Rosa sacrifice bunt. Torrealba went to third on a base hit to right by Dexter Fowler. D.J. LeMahieu knocked in Torrealba on a sacrifice fly to center field.
    Miami(37-62) avoided a shutout for the fourth time in six games as they picked up a run during the eighth inning against Matt Belisle. After Ed Lucas started with a base hit, he was forced out at second as Placido Polanco advanced to second on a throwing error during an attempted double play. He moved to third on a Jake Marisnick ground out to first. Polanco crossed the plate on a single to right field by Donovan Solano.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Christian Yelich Slams Rockies

    Christian Yelich made his major league debut in left field and went 3-for-4 with two RBI as the Miami Marlins continued their winning ways with a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Tuesday night. Jake Marisnick also played his first major league game in center field and went 0-for-4.   
    Jose Fernandez, who has not pitched since his scoreless inning in the All-Star Game last week, improved to 6-5 as he allowed two runs on five hits and struck out eight in seven innings for the Fish. Jhoulys Chacin dropped to 9-5 as he went seven innings for the Rockies and gave up three runs on eight hits. Steve Cishek claimed his 19th save this year.
    Todd Felton bashed his seventh homer in the second inning for Colorado(48-53). He hit a two-out solo home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch off Fernandez.
    In the top of the third, Miami(37-61) tied the game on a two-out rally against Chacin. Adeiny Hechavarria reached base on an infield single and then stole second. Yelich got his second hit of the game on a single to center field and knocked in Hechavarria for his first career RBI.
    The Fish took the lead with two runs in the fifth inning. After Donovan Solano picked up a lead-off base hit to left, Jeff Mathis singled to right-center field. Solano was out at third on a fielder's choice as Fernandez went to first. Hechavarria then drove in Mathis on a long double to right field. Fernandez scored on an infield hit to the right side by Yelich.
    The Rockies closed the margin to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth. D.J. LeMathieu started with a triple to right field and crossed the plate on a Carlos Gonzalez ground out to second.
    Josh Outman came in to relieve for Chacin in the eighth inning. After Yelich flew out to center field, Giancarlo Stanton blasted his 11th home run of the season to left field on a 1-1 count.

Phil Latzman Out At WLRN

    Phil Latzman has been let go by WLRN 91.3 FM in Miami after a decade with the station.  He worked as a news anchor, talk show host and news reporter at the National Public Radio affiliate. Latzman was most known in Miami as a sportscaster during the 1990's and early 2000's.
    He began his broadcasting career at WABC-AM in New York City in an off-air capacity and helped out on The Rush Limbaugh Show as a producer. He then came to South Florida and worked in an on-air position at News Radio 610 WIOD-AM.
    Latzman was hired by 560 WQAM-AM in late September 1991 as the studio host of the Miami Heat Radio Network and as a sports reporter for the station. He moved on to 940 WINZ-AM when the radio rights shifted from WQAM during the summer of 1993.
    He became the sports director and sports anchor at WINZ and also worked as the studio host for Miami Heat Radio Network during the 1993-94 season. Latzman retook the position in July 1996, after Ed Kaplan replaced him as the Miami Heat studio host for two seasons, when the radio rights moved to sister-station WIOD. He also replaced Jeff DeForrest as the sports director and sports anchor in late 1996 at that station when Paxson Communications decided to put less emphasis on sports and more emphasis on a news and talk format.
    Latzman added duties as an evening sports host on WIOD in the late 1990's and would remain studio host of the Miami Heat Radio Network through the 2001-02 season. He was released by Clear Channel Communications in June 2002.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Marlins Outlast Rockies

    The Miami Marlins ended a franchise record 37-inning scoreless streak as they edged the Colorado Rockies 3-1 on Monday night at Coors Field. The Fish snapped a four-game losing streak and raised their record to 15-34 on the road.
    Miami(36-61) powered out with two runs during the first inning against Drew Pomeranz. Ed Lucas got a one-out base hit to right and he scored on a double by Giancarlo Stanton into deep right field. Stanton advanced to third on an infield single by Marcell Ozuna. Placido Polanco followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Stanton.
    In the third inning, the Marlins extended their lead to 3-0 on a Lucas lead-off home run to left field on a 2-0 count. It was his second homer of the season.
    Colorado(48-52) managed to get a run in the bottom of the fourth against Tom Koehler. Troy Tulowitzki smacked a lead-off homer to center field on a 3-0 pitch to make it 3-1.
    Koehler improved to 2-5 as he allowed one run on eight hits and struck out seven in seven innings. Steve Cishek pitched a perfect ninth inning to get his 18th save. Pomeranz fell to 0-4 as he went 4 1/3 innings and surrendered three runs on five hits. The Marlins optioned Ozuna and Derek Dietrich to Double-A Jacksonville after the game and called up Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick.

Kristina Pink Promoted At Fox

    Former Miami sportscaster Kristina Pink will become a sideline reporter for college football games on Fox Sports and Fox Sports 1 for the upcoming 2013 season. She will work the sidelines for the Saturday national game on Fox Sports and the Thursday night game on Fox Sports 1. Pink joined Fox Sports in September 2012 as an NFL sideline reporter. She was added by Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket as a sideline reporter for Los Angeles Clippers broadcasts in late October 2012.
    Pink worked for WTVJ-TV Channel 6 as a sports anchor and sports reporter for less than a year until late August 2012. Prior to that, she was a sports anchor at WGNO-TV in New Orleans until December 2011 and once held a sportscaster position at WDBD-TV in Jackson, Mississippi.

Panthers Sign Colby Robak

    The Florida Panthers have re-signed defenseman Colby Robak to a new two-year contract. Robak split time between the Panthers and their AHL affiliate in San Antonio during 2012-13. He played 16 games with the Cats during the lockout-shortened NHL season and had one assist. He had five goals and 18 assists in 63 games with the San Antonio Rampage.
    Robak was a second round pick by Florida back in 2008. He made his NHL debut in 2011-12 with the Cats and he had no points in three games.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Marlins Scoreless In Milwaukee

    For the third consecutive game in Milwaukee, the Miami Marlins were held scoreless as they lost to the Brewers 1-0 in 13 innings on Sunday in Miller Park. The Fish, who set a franchise record with 37 straight innings without a run, have now lost nine of their last 12 games.
    Miami(35-61) were only able to produce four hits throughout the game. Milwaukee(41-56) scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning as Caleb Gindl smacked a lead-off homer on a 1-0 pitch down the left-field line against Ryan Webb. It was his first career home run.
    Marlins starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez went seven innings and allowed no runs on five hits while Brewers starter Wily Peralta gave up no runs on two hits and struck out seven in eight innings.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Panthers Schedule Released

    The Florida Panthers 2013-14 schedule was released by the National Hockey League after the approval of letting NHL players to be involved for the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics this February in Sochi, Russia. It will consist of 82 games in the regular season along with an Olympic break for several weeks.
    The Panthers will join the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators in the new Atlantic Division. It will consist of all former five teams from the Northeast Division, the Cats in-state divisional rivals from Tampa Bay and Detroit from the Western Conference.
    Florida will have 30 games against Atlantic Division opponents. They will play all seven teams in their new division at least four times with two games at home and two games on the road. The exception will be with two divisional foes as they will host an additional game against the Red Wings and travel for an additional game in Boston.
    The Panthers will see the eight squads of the Metropolitan Division three times a season for a total of 24 games. It will be a two home games and one away game scenario against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Washington Capitals while it will be two road games and one home game versus the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets.
    The Cats will play all 14 Western Conference clubs twice in a season with one game at home and one game away for a combined 28 games. It will be the first time since the 1990's that every Western Conference team will make an appearance in Sunrise.
    Florida will host the Penguins in their first home game on October 11 in Sunrise to commemorate their 20th anniversary as an NHL franchise. They played their first home game in franchise history at Miami Arena against the Pens on October 12, 1993.
    The longest homestand for the Panthers will be six games during the month of October. It was a major surprise since the team has played more on the road for the first month of season in recent years.
    The team will play at home during holiday weeks. It will include a stretch with Philadelphia, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving week along with Tampa Bay, Detroit, Montreal and the Rangers on Christmas week. The club will play their final five games of the regular season at Sunrise in April.

Larry Smith At WGCL-TV

    Former West Palm Beach sportscaster Larry Smith has joined WGCL-TV in Atlanta as a sports director and sports anchor. He recently spent a short time at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati earlier this year.
   Smith was a sports anchor at WPTV-TV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach from March 1992 until November 1993. He get a major break when he joined CNN in Atlanta from December 1993 through May 2009. He was part of CNN Sports Tonight from 1993 until they eliminated the program from the channel in September 2001. He was then used as a sports anchor for CNN and their sister-station CNN Headline News. He shifted to become a sports anchor and studio host for Turner Sports from 2009 until 2012.

Notre Dame Gets Corey Holmes

    St. Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Corey Holmes has made a verbal commitment to the University of Notre Dame. He won two FHSAA Class 7A state titles with the Raiders in 2010 and 2012 and was part of their national championship team in 2010.
    Holmes had 28 receptions for 511 yards and five touchdowns in his junior year with the school in 2012. He had four catches for 167 yards and an 80-yard touchdown in the Class 7A championship game against Tallahassee-Lincoln at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
    He saw limited time on the varsity squad in his first two years. Holmes had one reception for 17 yards as a freshman and had three catches for 22 yards along with a touchdown as a sophomore.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Brewers Shut Out Marlins

    The Miami Marlins were blanked by the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 on Friday night at Miller Park. It was the first game for the Fish since the all-star break as they have now lost seven of their last ten games.
    Jacob Turner started for Miami(35-59), allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six in five innings. His record dropped to 3-2 this season. Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Lohse went six innings and gave up no runs on five hits to raise his record to 6-7. He was 3-0 against the Marlins last year when he hurled for the St. Louis Cardinals.
    Juan Francisco gave Milwaukee(39-56) the lead during the fourth inning. He hit a lead-off homer on a 3-2 pitch to left field for his 12th home run this year. Carlos Gomez cracked a solo home run to left field on a 0-2 count with two out in the bottom of the fifth for his 15th round-tripper of 2013.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Mike Miller Clears Waivers

    Former Miami Heat guard Mike Miller has cleared amnesty waivers on Thursday. He can now sign with any other team in the NBA except the Miami Heat. He was waived via the amnesty clause by the club on Tuesday.
    Miller helped the franchise win two NBA championships and three Eastern Conference titles in his three years with the team. He signed a five-year, $25 million contract with Miami in July 2010. His biggest impact was in Game 5 of the 2011-12 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder when he made seven three-point shots and finished with 23 points in the series-clinching game. It brought the Miami Heat their second NBA championship in franchise history. He did start in the final three games of the 2012-13 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Jose Fernandez In All-Star Game

    Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez hurled one perfect inning for the National League during the All-Star Game at Citi Field in New York City on Tuesday night. He became the first rookie pitcher in Marlins franchise history to appear in an All-Star Game.
    Fernandez entered the game for the senior circuit in the top of the sixth inning. He faced Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox first and struck him out swinging. Former Marlin and current Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera followed as he popped out to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in foul territory. Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles, who currently leads the major leagues in home runs, also struck out swinging to end the frame.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Florida Panthers Sign Jacob Markstrom

    The Florida Panthers have re-signed goalie Jacob Markstrom to a new two-year deal. He was a restricted free agent following the 2012-13 season. Markstrom, who was selected in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft, split his time last season with the Cats and their AHL affiliate in San Antonio.
    Markstrom had a record of 8-14-1 and a goals against average of 3.22 in 23 games for Florida during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. He also played for the San Antonio Rampage and was 16-15-2 with a 2.65 goals against average in 33 games. Markstrom played in the 2011-12 season with the Panthers and had a 2-4-1 record. He made his NHL debut on January 23, 2011 as he replaced Scott Clemmensen at the beginning of the second period in net against the New Jersey Devils to become the youngest goalie in franchise history.

Florida Panthers Sign Barkov

    The Florida Panthers have signed center Aleksander Barkov to an entry-level, three-year contract. He was selected by the Cats as the second overall pick at the 2013 NHL Draft back on June 30. Barkov had 21 goals, 27 assists and a plus-18 in 53 games with Tappara of the Finnish Elite League during the 2012-13 season.
    He played in the last two World Junior Championships. He was youngest selection to ever join the Finland Junior Championship team in 2011-12. He scored one goal along with three assists in six games for that tournament and became the second youngest player to ever to score a goal in World Junior Championship competition. Barkov played in the 2012-13 tournament and contributed three goals and seven points in six games.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Marlins Come Back On Nats

    The Miami Marlins pulled off a come-from-behind victory with a 2-1 win over the Washington Nationals in 10 innings on Saturday night at Marlins Park. The Fish have won three straight games and improved to 21-26 at home this season.
    In the fourth inning, Washington(47-47) got their only run off Jose Fernandez. Bryce Harper led off with a walk and Ryan Zimmerman popped out to short. Adam LaRoche came out with a base hit to left field as Harper advanced to third. Harper scored on a sacrifice fly by Jayson Werth to center.
    Miami(35-57) waited until their last licks in the ninth inning to tie the game against Rafael Soriano. He was greeted immediately as Giancarlo Stanton smashed a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his 10th home run of the season.
    The Marlins got the winning run off Craig Stammen in the 10th inning. Adeiny Hechavarria reached second on a throwing error by third baseman Chad Tracy and then Jeff Mathis walked. Both runners advanced one base as Placido Polanco laid down a sacrifice bunt. After Justin Ruggiano was intentionally walked to load the bases, Hechavarria crossed the plate as Ed Lucas got to first on a ground ball and beat a 4-6-3 double-play attempt.
    Fernandez went six innings and allowed one run on four hits while Nationals starting pitcher Dan Haren gave up no runs on three hits and struck out seven in six innings. Steve Cishek pitched a scoreless inning and raised his record to 3-4.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Jorge Sedano To Exit WQAM

    Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM program director and afternoon host Jorge Sedano will leave the station for ESPN. Sedano was named to both positions at 560 WQAM in late August 2012 and began his work there in early September 2012 as he replaced Dan Sileo for afternoon duties and Andy King, who was the interim program director.
    In addition, he will exit his job at Sun Sports as the Miami Heat studio host for road broadcast games. He joined them in August 2012 and lasted one season on the job as the team won their second straight NBA championship. He had previous television experience as a weekend sports anchor at WFOR-TV Channel 4 for several years until the fall of 2012.
    Sedano, a Florida International University grad,  joined 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM in August 2007 as a midday host. He would later replace Sid Rosenberg as the morning host at that station in April 2009. Sedano was also a radio game analyst for FIU football games alongside Jeremy Marks-Peltz in 2009 and 2010. He exited 790 The Ticket in early April 2012.
    He left News Radio 610 WIOD-AM in early August 2007 where he was the morning sports anchor and the studio host for the Miami Heat Radio Network broadcasts. He also was the overnight host on Fox Sports Radio where he broadcast his program from the Miramar studios at Clear Channel. He shifted to a Sunday evening show in the final months.
    Prior to that, he was a sports host on 940 Fox Sports Radio WRFX-AM. Sedano began his on-air broadcasting career at 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM from September 1999 until December 2000, first as a sports anchor and later as a sports host.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dan Hellie Joins NFL Network

    Former local television sportscaster Dan Hellie will soon join the NFL Network in Los Angeles as a studio host. Hellie will leave his position as a sports anchor and sports reporter at WRC-TV in Washington D.C.  He has been employed at that station since July 2006.
    Hellie was the lead sports anchor at WPTV-TV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach from 2000 until 2003. He then moved on to Orlando where he worked as a sports director and sports anchor at WESH-TV.
    Prior to landing in Florida, Hellie started his broadcasting career in Alexandria, Minnesota. He then spent two years from 1998 until 2000 as a sports director and sportscaster at WPDE-TV in Florence, South Carolina.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Ratings June 2013

    For the sixth consecutive month, 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM was the highest rated sports format station in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region during June. It was their largest margin of victory for them since June 2012 when they had more than double the audience compared to their nearest competitor.
    After three straight months at a 1.1, 790 The Ticket improved to a 1.3 during the month of June. The ratings push was due to the Miami Heat playoff run as they won their second straight NBA championship and their third title in franchise history. In addition, the Miami Marlins compiled more wins than expected during the time span.
    Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM finished a distant second place as they slightly dropped from a 0.9 to a 0.8 in June. All their shows remained stable, but there was no game broadcasts with the University of Miami Hurricanes baseball team eliminated early in the postseason.
    A big surprise was that 104.3 The Ticket WAXY-FM remained flat at a 0.6 for the second straight month. Even with a clearer signal that had broadcast the Miami Heat championship run, less emphasis of the new brand name and the use of tape-delayed shows has not helped the station.
    The station that remained in fourth place was 940 The Sports Animal WINZ-AM as they fell from a 0.3 to a 0.2 in June. They had reverted back to the same audience share in four of the last five months. It did not help them that this was a slow period for the Miami Dolphins and they had no game broadcasts with the exception of NASCAR racing on the weekend.

Marlins Snap Losing Streak

    The Miami Marlins salvaged a five-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday at Marlins Park. The Fish, who are now 3-6 against the Bravos this season, held Atlanta to six hits.
    In the first inning, Miami(33-57) exploded with four runs off Paul Maholm and got a comfortable lead. Justin Ruggiano led off with a walk and Ed Lucas got a base hit to left field. Giancarlo Stanton knocked in Ruggiano and Lucas with a two-run double into deep center field. After Marcell Ozuna struck out, Stanton scored on an RBI-double by Placido Polanco down the left-field line. Three batters later, Jeff Mathis hit a two-out single to score Polanco.
    Atlanta(52-39) picked up one run against Jacob Turner in the top of the second. Chris Johnson started with a double to deep right field and scored as former Marlin Dan Uggla doubled to right.
    The Braves cut the margin down to 4-2 in the sixth inning. Freddie Freeman stroked a one-out double to left field. After Freeman went to third on a wild pitch, he scored on a ground out to first by Johnson.
    The Marlins extended their lead to 6-2 with two additional runs during the eighth inning. Luis Ayala gave up singles to Juan Pierre and Lucas. He was then relieved by Anthony Varvaro with one out. After Pierre advanced to third on a Stanton fly out to right field, Ozuna walked to load the bases for the Fish. Polanco then singled to right-center filed which brought in Pierre and Lucas.
    Turner allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings and improved to 3-1 this season. Maholm fell to 9-8 as he gave up four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Chris Andersen Returns To Heat

    Chris Andersen, a.k.a. Birdman, has signed a one-year contract to return with the Miami Heat. He joined the team in January as a backup center. The Heat went 39-3 in the 42 regular season games that he participated in. He helped Miami with a 27-game winning streak, second longest in NBA history, and to win their third NBA title in franchise history.
    Andersen averaged 4.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and one blocked shot per game during the regular season. He also had a high field goal shooting percentage as he made 57.7 percent of his shots. During the playoffs, Andersen was a perfect 15-for-15 shooting from the field against the Indiana Pacers from Game 1 through Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He broke a Heat franchise playoff record, once held by Alonzo Mourning, as he was 7-for-7 from the field in Game 1 versus Indiana.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Marlins Lose In 14 Innings

    The Miami Marlins returned home and dropped their fourth straight game with a 7-1 defeat to the Atlanta Braves in 14 innings at Marlins Park on Monday night. The Fish took two out of three games when they last met the Bravos in Atlanta last week.
    In the fifth inning, Miami(32-56) picked up one run against Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor. Adeiny Hechavarria led off with a base hit into center field. Derek Dietrich struck out looking and Jeff Mathis lined out to right field. Placido Polanco pinched-hit for Marlins starting pitcher Kevin Slowey, singled to center and advanced Hechavarria to second. Justin Ruggiano followed with an RBI-single to center field as Hechavarria scored.
    Atlanta(51-38) came back quickly and tied it with one run off Dan Jennings in the top of the sixth. Jason Heyward began with a triple to the center-field wall. Justin Upton then drove Heyward in on a sacrifice fly to right field.
    There was a 14-minute delay to close the stadium roof during the seventh inning due to inclement weather that was expected. For the first time in the two-year history of Marlins Park, the roof was opened to begin a game in July. Both teams pitched a perfect game between the eighth inning and the 12th inning as neither club was able to put a man on base.
    The Bravos exploded with six runs in the 14th inning when Chris Hatcher came in to relieve for Mike Dunn. Two of the first three batters walked as Reed Johnson and Heyward got on base. Upton knocked both of them in on a one-out double to left-center field as the Braves took their first lead of the game. Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked and Tyler Pastornicky reached first on an infield hit to load the bases. After Dan Uggla struck out, Gerald Laird hit a two-run single into center field for Upton and Freeman to score. Chris Johnson added another two-run base hit to left-center field as Pastornicky and Laird crossed the plate.       
    Slowey pitched five innings of shutout ball and allowed four hits. Minor gave up one run on six hits in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Hatcher took his major league loss as he surrendered five earned runs on four hits in one inning.

Panthers Sign Matt Gilroy

    The Florida Panthers added more depth to their blue line as they signed defenseman Matt Gilroy to a one-year two-way contract. Gilroy split his time during the 2012-13 season between the New York Rangers and the Connecticut Whale. He had no goals and no assists in 15 games with the Blueshirts. He did get six goals and nine assists in 34 games with Connecticut last season.
    Gilroy, a Boston University grad, had a previous stint with the Rangers from 2009-10 until 2010-11. He compiled seven goals and 19 assists in 127 games over two seasons. He signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning in July 2011. Gilroy had two goals and 15 assists in 53 games for the Bolts until he was traded to the Ottawa Senators for defenseman Brian Lee in February 2012. He finished the season with the Sens as he got one goal and two assists in 14 games.

Former Panthers Go Elsewhere

    Several former Florida Panthers from this past season signed with new teams since free agency began on Friday. It has been a large turnover of personnel who left the club this weekend.
    The most noticeable person was center Stephen Weiss, who was the most tenured player with the Florida Panthers, as he signed a five-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. Weiss left the Cats as the all-time franchise leader with 249 assists and 654 games. He was fourth all-time with 145 goals and second to Scott Mellanby with 396 points. Weiss joined the organization as the fourth overall pick in the 2001 NHL Draft, which was held in Sunrise.
    Right wing Jack Skille signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He scored three goals with nine assists in 40 games with the Cats this past season. Skille was acquired in a five-player deal from the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2011 for Michael Frolik. He won a Stanley Cup championship with Chicago in 2009-10.
    Defenseman T.J. Brennan signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs for one year. He was with the Florida Panthers until one week before the 2013 NHL Draft when he was sent to the Nashville Predators. He was traded from the Buffalo Sabres late in the 2012-13 season and compiled two goals and seven assists in 19 games for Florida.
    Center Mike Santorelli, who was picked up on waivers by the Winnipeg Jets in early April, signed with the Vancouver Canucks. He had two goals and one assist with the Cats in 24 games and only one assist in ten games with the Jets. Santorelli joined the Cats in a trade from Nashville in August 2010.
    Another defenseman who signed elsewhere was Tyson Strachan. He signed with Florida in 2011 and had no goals and four assists in 38 games last season. Strachan inked a one-year, two-way deal with the Washington Capitals.
    Defenseman Nolan Yonkman, who played mainly with the Panthers AHL affiliate in San Antonio in 2012-13, signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. He played seven games with Florida this season with no goals and no assists.
    He was not a free agent, but right wing George Parros was traded by the Panthers to their new division-rival the Montreal Canadiens for Philippe Lefebvre and a 2014 seventh-round pick. Parros signed as a free agent with Florida in July 2012 and had one goal with one assist in 39 games for his only season with the Cats. He previously won a Stanley Cup title with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Cardinals Sweep Marlins

    The Miami Marlins lost their third straight game to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday at Busch Stadium. This time they fell 3-2 and were swept in Missouri for the first time since May 2000. The Fish are now 14-31 on the road this season.
    In the bottom of the first, St. Louis(53-34) jumped out to the early lead against Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez. Three batters in, Matt Holliday pounded a two-out solo home run to center field on a 1-1 pitch for his 12th homer this year.
    Miami(32-55) responded fast in the top of the second to tie the game against Redbirds starter Lance Lynn. After Marcell Ozuna flied out to center, Derek Dietrich doubled into deep center field. He would score on a base hit by Adeiny Hechavarria to right field.
    The Cards regained the lead with two runs in the third inning. Matt Carpenter was hit by a pitch and Carlos Beltran got to first on a bunt single. After Holliday walked to load the bases, Carpenter crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right field by Allen Craig. When David Freese struck out, Beltran stole home on the back end of a double steal.
    The Marlins closed the margin in the fourth inning to make it 3-2. Ozuna smacked a one-out triple to deep center field. Three batters later, Mathis drove in Ozuna on a bunt single in the infield with two out.
    Fernandez, who was selected to the National League All-Star team on Saturday, dropped to 5-5 this season as he allowed three runs on four hits in six innings and struck out five. Lynn improved to 11-3 as he gave up two runs on seven hits and struck out seven in seven innings pitched. Former Marlin Edward Mujica got his 23th save for the Cards as he pitched a perfect ninth inning.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Ricky Nolasco Traded To Dodgers

    Miami Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco was traded on Saturday night to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three minor league prospects. Angel Sanchez, Steve Ames and Josh Wall were all pitchers in the Dodgers minor league system.
    Nolasco leaves the Marlins franchise as the all-time pitching leader in several categories. He stands on top with 81 wins, 1001 strikeouts, 197 games started and 1225 2/3 innings pitched. Nolasco joined the Floirda Marlins in December 2005 with two other players from the Chicago Cubs for Juan Pierre, who is now in his second stint with the Fish.
    He made his major league debut in 2006 and had pitched with the Marlins for the last eight seasons. Nolasco had a 5-8 record this season for Miami, started 18 games, struck out 90 along with a 3.25 ERA in 112 1/3 innings pitched.

Redbirds Slip By Marlins

    The St. Louis Cardinals overcame a three-run deficit and got by the Miami Marlins 5-4 on Saturday at Busch Stadium. The Fish matched a season-high as they hit a home run for the fifth consecutive game.
    Miami(32-54) drew first blood in the second inning against Cardinals starting pitcher Joe Kelly. After Marcell Ozuna struck out, Derek Dietrich doubled into deep left-center field. Adeiny Hechavarria knocked in Dietrich on a base hit to center for a 1-0 lead.
    The Marlins added two more runs in the top of the third inning. Former Cardinals player Placido Polanco walked with one out then Giancarlo Stanton flew out to right. Logan Morrison followed with his fourth home run of the season as they ball sailed beyond the left-field wall on a 2-2 pitch. All of Morrison's homer this year have been on the road which included three on the current road trip.
    In the bottom of the third inning, St. Louis(52-34) responded with two runs off Marlins starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and cut the margin down to 3-2. Kelly singled to center with one out and scored on a triple by Matt Carpenter to deep center field. Carlos Beltran was up next and he drove in Carpenter on a base hit to center.
    The Fish scored for the third straight inning and extended their lead to 4-2. Dietrich smacked a none-out solo home run to right field on the first pitch of the frame for his eighth homer of the season. Later in the fourth inning, Hechavarria looked like he beat the ball to the plate on a fielder's choice, however he was called out and Marlins manager Mike Redmond argued the play which resulted in him being ejected from the contest. It was the second time in 2013 that Redmond had been thrown out of a game.
    The Redbirds stormed back with two runs during the seventh inning to tie it at 4-4. Daniel Descalso began with a ground out to second and Santaluces High School grad Tony Lopez singled to left field. After Jon Jay flied out to left field, Matt Adams pinched-hit for Seth Maness and the Marlins countered as Mike Dunn relieved Eovaldi. Dunn was met by a two-out, two-run homer by Adams to right field on a 1-2 count for his seventh dinger of the year.
    Marlins reliever A.J. Ramos looked to contain the Cards in the ninth inning. It started fine as Descalso lined out to center and Cruz flied out to right. Jay would follow with a walk, then Shane Robinson pinched-hit for Edward Mujica. Robinson singled into right field as Jay advanced to third. Stanton's relay throw to the infield handcuffed Morrison as the ball continued to roll toward the pitcher's mound. Jay would race in from third to home plate for the game-winning run.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Cards Take Fish

    The Miami Marlins continued their road swing as they fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 at Busch Stadium on Friday night. The Fish were held to just three hits in the game and had their two-game win streak snapped.
    In the first inning, St. Louis(51-34) took their first lead of the game against Marlins starting hurler Jacob Turner with a two-out rally. Matt Holliday was able to double into the right-center field gap and then scored on a double by Allen Craig to right-center field.
    Logan Morrison and Miami(32-53) responded against Cardinals starting pitcher Jake Westbrook with a lead-off home run to center field on a 1-0 pitch. It was the third homer by Morrison this season.
    The Redbirds regained the lead during the third inning with three runs in the frame. Matt Carpenter began with a base hit to right-center field and then Jon Jay singled to right field. Carpenter crossed the plate on a double by Holliday into deep right field as Jay advanced to third. Craig knocked in Jay with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 3-1. After Yadier Molina grounded out to third, Matt Adams doubled to left field which brought in Holliday.
    Turner gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings and dropped to 2-1 this season. Westbrook raised his record to 5-3 as he pitched seven innings and allowed one run on three hits. Former Marlins pitcher Edward Mujica got his 22nd save of the year for the Cards as he stopped Miami in the ninth inning with two strikeouts.

Stephen Weiss Leaves Panthers

    Longtime Florida Panthers center Stephen Weiss has signed a five-year contract worth $24.5 million with the Detroit Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent. Weiss leaves the Cats with the franchise record for most games played with 654 and 249 assists. He is fourth all-time with 145 goals and second behind Scott Mellanby with 396 points.
    Weiss was selected by the Panthers as the fourth overall pick of the 2001 NHL Draft, which by the way was held in Sunrise. With the exception of the 2004-05 NHL lockout, he played every season with the club from 2001-02 until 2012-13.
    He helped Florida get into the NHL playoffs in 2011-12 for the first time in 12 years as they won their first division title in franchise history when they took the Southeast Division. He had 20 goals, 37 assists and 57 points in 80 games that season. He recorded three goals and two assists as the Panthers lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
    This past season was not good for Weiss as he only had one goal and four points in 17 games played. He had wrist surgery which ended his season and finished off his long reign with the team.

Panthers Sign Winchester And Mottau

    The Florida Panthers added more players to their roster as they have signed center Jesse Winchester and defenseman Mike Mottau to one-year deals. Both players will give the club additional depth in both positions.
    Winchester played with Jokerit of Finland during the 2012-13 season. He played with the Ottawa Senators for five seasons and compiled 11 goals with 41 assists in 233 NHL games.
    Mottau played for the Florida Panthers AHL affiliate San Antonio last season until the NHL lockout ended in January. He had seven assists in 16 games with the club. Mottau then signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs AHL team the Toronto Marlies and had seven assists in 18 games. He has seven goals and 51 assists in 313 NHL games.

Panthers Get Joey Crabb

    The Florida Panthers have signed right wing Joey Crabb to a two-year one way $600,000 deal. He played for the Washington Capitals during the 2012-13 season and had two goals and a minus-1 in 26 games. Prior to the Caps, Crabb was with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two seasons and began his NHL career with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Cats Resign Shawn Matthias

    The Florida Panthers have resigned center Shawn Matthias to a new two-year $3.5 million contract. It will count for $1.75 million toward the Cats salary cap in 2013-14 and 2014-15. He played all 48 games for the Panthers in the lockout-shortened NHL season in 2012-13 and had a career-high 14 goals with seven assists. Matthias was acquired by the Panthers along with a 2007 second-round pick from the Detroit Red Wings for Todd Bertuzzi in February 2007.

1400 The Fan Hosts Return

    Several former 1400 The Fan WFLL-AM sports talk hosts made appearances on the local South Florida radio airwaves on July 4. Anita Marks did an NBC Sports Radio Network show as she hosted a midday show and an evening show that was aired on 640 Sports WMEN-AM. She usually does a regular weekend midday show for that organization. Marc Benarzyk, who now goes by the name Marc James, filled in on the CBS Sports Radio Network on a late night shift and was heard on Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. He did a prior show for the company on Memorial Day weekend.
    Both Marks and Benarzyk once worked at 1400 The Fan when it was a sports talk station from April 2004 until May 2006. Marks started there as a morning co-host and later shifted to the afternoon shift in early 2006. She then left for Baltimore and ESPN 1300 WJFK-AM in April 2006. Benarzyk began at 1400 The Fan as a midday host in April 2004 and was shifted to afternoon drive in the fall of 2004. He became the morning show host in early 2006 until the station flipped from a sports talk format in May 2006.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Marlins Edge Braves

    The Miami Marlins picked up a game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 at Turner Field on Thursday night. The Fish have won five of six and 10 of their last 13 games.
    Atlanta(49-36), who lead the National League East, scored all their runs during the first inning against Henderson Alvarez. Andrelton Simmons led off with an infield single and Jason Heyward hit a double into deep right field. After Justin Upton popped out to first, Simmons and Heyward scored on a single by Freddie Freeman to center. Brian McCann would knock in Freeman on a double to the right-center field gap to make it 3-0.
    Miami(32-52) slowly tried to get back in this game as they scored three runs in the next three innings off Julio Teheran. Marcell Ozuna pounded his second homer of the season when he hit a one-out solo home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch in the second inning.
    Jeff Mathis led off the third inning with a single into left field. After Alvarez struck out, Mathis advanced to third on a base hit to right by Justin Ruggiano. Mathis then scored on a ground out to second by Ed Lucas. 
    In the fourth inning, Logan Morrison started with a double into deep right field. He would score on a base hit to center by Ozuna with none out.
    The Fish got to reliever Craig Kimbrel on a rare occasion in the ninth inning. Lucas walked, Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Morrison walked and Ozuna struck out. Donovan Solano drove in the go-ahead run with a single into right field as Lucas crossed the plate.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Fish End Drought To Braves

    Ricky Nolasco picked up his 1,000th career strikeout as the Miami Marlins got by the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Wednesday night at Turner Field. The Marlins snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Braves.
    Nolasco improved to 5-8 as he allowed two runs on six hits and struck out seven in seven innings pitched. Mike Minor went six innings, gave up four runs on six hits and struck out nine as he dropped down to 8-4. Steve Cishek garnered his 16th save as he pitched 1/3 of an inning and surrendered one hit.
    B.J. Upton began the third inning for Atlanta(49-35) with a lead-off infield hit. Two batters later, Andrelton Simmons drove him in on a two-out single to right field.
    The Bravos got another run in the following inning. Brian McCann smacked a one-out solo homer to right field on a 0-1 pitch. It was his 10th round-tripper of the season and his eighth career home run off Nolasco.
    In the fifth inning, Miami(31-52) overtook the Braves with three runs in the frame. Donovan Solano started with a double into deep right field. After Adeiny Hechavarria and Jeff Mathis struck out, Nolasco got on base with a walk. Justin Ruggiano blasted a two-out three-run homer to left field on a 1-0 count. It was his 12th home run of the season, all of which have happened on the road.
    The Marlins extended their lead in the top of the sixth. Placido Polanco singled to center field with one out. Following Solano's fly out to right field, Hechavarria knocked in Polanco with a double to the right-field wall.
    The Fish stuck two additional runs in the eighth inning against Cory Gearrin. Solano was hit by a pitch with one out and then Hechavarria sliced a base hit into right field. Mathis followed with a double to right field as Solano and Hechavarria scored to make it 6-2.
    In the ninth inning, the Braves picked up one run off Cishek when Chris Johnson hit a two-out single to center field which brought in Freddie Freeman.

Filip Kuba Gone From Panthers

    The Florida Panthers have bought out the final year of defenseman Filip Kuba's two-year contract. Kuba becomes an unrestricted free agent and will not need to clear waivers due to a non-movement clause in his contract. The Cats are on the hook for four million dollars toward their salary cap next season because this was not a compliance buyout.
    Kuba joined Florida from the Ottawa Senators as free agent in July 2012. He did have a previous stint with the Panthers earlier in his career from 1998-99 until 1999-2000. Kuba played 44 games for the Cats this past season and had one goal, nine assists and held a minus-18.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Marlins Blank Padres

    The Miami Marlins pulled off a 4-0 shutout of the San Diego Padres at Marlins Park on Monday night. The Fish have won six of their last seven games and eight of their last ten. They are 11-4 in their last 15 home games.
    Jose Fernandez pitched a two-hitter through eight innings for Miami(30-51) and struck out ten Padres. His record improved to 5-4 this season. Steve Cishek got his 15th save of the year as he went 1/3 of an inning. San Diego(40-43) starting pitcher Jason Marquis dropped to 9-4 as he allowed four unearned runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
    The Marlins scored all their runs during the sixth inning. Ed Lucas led off and got on base with a throwing error by shortstop Pedro Ciraco. Giancarlo Stanton walked and Logan Morrison flied out to left field. Marcell Ozuna knocked in Lucas on a base hit into right-center field and advanced to second on the throw to the plate. After Derek Dietrich was intentionally walked to load the bases and Adeiny Hechavarria struck out, Jeff Mathis cleared them with a two-out three-run double off the left-field wall for a 4-0 lead.

Marlins Grand Slam Win

    Jeff Mathis crushed a walk-off grand slam home run in the ninth inning as the Miami Marlins defeated the San Diego Padres 6-2 on Sunday at Marlins Park. It was a fitting end to the Marlins 20th anniversary celebration as a major league baseball franchise. The Fish finished the month of June with a 15-10 record.
    Marlins starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi hurled six scoreless innings, surrendered four hits and received no decision in the contest. Padres starter Andrew Cashner also did not figure in the decision as he allowed two runs on five hits in six innings. Steve Cishek improved his record to 2-4 with a hitless ninth inning.
    Miami(29-51) was able to get two runs in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out rally against Cashner. Logan Morrison singled to shallow left field then Marcell Ozuna singled to right field. Derek Dietrich followed with a two-out double to the left-center field wall as Morrison and Ozuna scored.
    San Diego(40-41) tied the game in the seventh inning as Chad Qualls came in to relieve for Eovaldi. Yasmani Grandal led off with walk and Pedro Ciraco struck out. Carlos Quentin pinched-hit for Cashner a smacked a one-out two-run homer to left-center field on the first pitch. It was his ninth home run of the season for him.
    The Fish waited until their last licks to win the game in the ninth against Tyson Ross. Morrison walked and Ozuna picked up a base hit to left field. Dietrich flew out to right field as Morrison advanced to third on the play. Greg Dobbs batted for Adeiny Hechavarria and he was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Mathis hit a 1-0 pitch down the left-field line for a walk-off grand slam homer to win the game. He joined Bobby Bonilla, Dan Uggla and Giancarlo Stanton as the fourth player in Marlins history to hit a game-ending grand slam.