Lakers Dismantle Heat In Game 1

     The Los Angeles Lakers blitzed the Miami Heat 116-98 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena in Lake Buena Vista on Wednesday night. The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 1-0. 

     The Heat played in their first NBA Finals game since 2014. Heat player Andre Iguodala appeared in the NBA Finals for the sixth consecutive season. 

     Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James participated in his ninth NBA Finals in the past ten seasons. The Lakers are looking to tie the Boston Celtics with the most NBA championships in league history which is 17. 

     Miami moved out to a 25-12 lead in the first eight minutes of the contest, however Los Angeles went on a 19-3 spurt and led 31-28 after one quarter. The Lakers pulled off an 24-5 run at the end of the second quarter and had a 65-48 advantage at halftime. 

     Los Angeles outscored the Heat 18-6 to begin the second half and had a 29-point margin with 7:15 left in the third quarter. Miami trailed 93-67 at the end of the third quarter. The closest the Heat came to the Lakers in the final quarter was 109-96 with 2:31 remaining. 

     Jimmy Butler led the Heat with a team-high 23 points and Kendrick Nunn contributed 18 points. Tyler Herro added 14 points while Jae Crowder dropped in 12 points.

     Former Heat player LeBron James fell short of a triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers. Anthony Davis compiled a game-high 34 points along with nine rebounds while Danny Green drained in 11 points. 

Marlins Jump By Cubs In Game 1

     The Miami Marlins came back against the Chicago Cubs 5-1 in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. The Marlins lead the best-of-three series 1-0. Game 2 will be played on Thursday in Chicago. 

     The Marlins played in their first postseason game since 2003 and have neve lost a playoff series in franchise history. The Game 1 contest was only the second time in baseball history that a National League playoff game used a designated hitter in a lineup. The Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves used a designated hitter in a game earlier today. 

     Chicago broke the scoreless tie during the fifth inning. Ian Happ connected with a solo home run to left-center field on a 1-2 count.  

     Miami overtook the Cubs in the top of the seventh. Corey Dickenson smacked a three-run homer to left-center field on the first pitch with Miguel Rojas and Chad Wallach aboard. Two batters later, Jesus Aguilar sliced a two-run homer to right field on a 1-2 pitch. Brian Anderson was able to score in front of him to make it 5-1. 

Miami Ratings September 2020

     The Miami/Fort Lauderdale region received the ratings for sports format radio stations. The time period went from the second week of August until the second week of September. All local competitors saw an increase in audience with the full slate of sports. 

     560 The Joe WQAM-AM remained at a 0.7 in the month. There were no preseason game broadcasts for the Miami Dolphins as they prepared for the 2020 NFL regular season. 

     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM jumped from a 0.2 to a 0.4 in the period. The Miami Heat finished off the regular season and got playoff series victories over the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. 

     Miami Sports 940 WINZ-AM rose from a 0.1 to 0.2. The Miami Marlins continued to contend for a postseason spot in the National League playoffs with the shortened 60-game regular season. They stayed in either first place or second place in the National League East during that time. 

No South Florida High School Football On Radio

     There has been no radio broadcasts of any South Florida high school football games so far this year. The start of 2020 regular season for schools in the Palm Beach County, Broward County and Miami-Dade County was postponed and contests had to be rescheduled. 

     It is not known if ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will broadcast games once the Miami Heat postseason concludes. They were the only radio station throughout the South Florida region that had high school football broadcasts in 2019. 

     ESPN West Palm has been the only radio organization to have high school football contests since 2015. They have constantly covered weekly high school football games since 2010. There was once five different South Florida region radio stations who had weekly high school football game broadcasts back in 2011. 

     There have been other ways for the public to view local high school football games recently. Some different websites such as HPSN Sports, NFHS Network, BoxCast, Facebook, Periscope and others currently stream high school football games live on the internet. 

New York Giants Sign Alfred Morris

     The New York Giants have signed running back Alfred Morris to a contract. He has been placed on the Giants practice squad. Morris has played in the National Football League for the past eight seasons. 

     Morris was first noticed in college football as a running back for Florida Atlantic University from 2008 to 2011. He was taken in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins and spent four seasons there. 

Philadelphia Union Outhustle Inter Miami CF

     The Philadelphia Union had no trouble defeating Inter Miami CF 3-0 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on Sunday night. Inter Miami CF played their first road game outside the southeast portion of the United States since March.  

     There was one bright note for Inter Miami CF in the contest. Gonzalo Higuain made his Major League Soccer debut with the team. He had an opportunity for a goal and missed a penalty kick during the 77th minute of play. 

     Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute when Anthony Fontana made a right-footed shot from 14 yards out into the top right corner of the cage. The Union got two more goals in the second half by Ilsinho on a sliding right-footed shot from five yards away during the 68th minute and Brenden Aaronson with a 16-yard ground shot with the right foot into the low right corner of the net in the 90th minute.

Heat Advance To NBA Finals Over Celtics

     The Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 with a 125-113 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at AdventHealth Center in Orlando on Sunday night. The Heat win the best-of-seven series 4-2. It will be the sixth appearance for Miami in the NBA Finals. The Heat have a 12-3 record in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. 

     Miami was 33-27 after one quarter and had a 62-60 advantage at halftime. Boston was still behind 88-86 at the end of three quarters. The Celtics had a 100-98 lead with 6:30 left in the fourth, but the Heat then went on a 18-2 run over the next four minutes and got the victory.  

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a game-high 32 points and 14 rebounds. Jimmy Butler added 22 points with eight assists and Tyler Herro contributed 19 points. Duncan Robinson and Andre Iguodala both put in 15 points each. Jayson Tatum compiled a double-double of24 points and 11 rebounds while Jaylen Brown dropped in 26 points. Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart each had 20 points. 

Marlins Blank Yankees In Season Finale

     The Miami Marlins shut out the New York Yankees 5-0 at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. It was the final contest of the 60-game regular season schedule for both teams. 

     Both clubs is that they will be play the postseason. Miami, who finished with a winning record this season, ended up as a sixth seed in the National League and will take on the Chicago Cubs. The Yankees took the fifth seed in the American League and will challenge the Cleveland Indians. 

     Miami(31-29) pulled ahead 3-0 in the second inning. Jazz Chisholm doubled to center field which scored Matt Joyce and Jon Berti. Three batters later, Corey Dickerson drove in Chisholm with a single into center. 

     New York(33-27) surrendered a run in the top of the fifth. Brian Anderson cracked a solo home run over the left-field wall on the first pitch. 

     The Marlins added one more run and had a five-run margin. Chisholm connected with a homer to center field on a 2-2 count. 

Hurricanes Pounce Seminoles

     The University of Miami Hurricanes dominated the Florida State University Seminoles 52-10 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night. It was the 65th meeting between both local rivals and the Hurricanes now lead the series 35-30. 

     Miami(3-0, 2-0) scored on their first three possessions. Quarterback D'Eriq King threw a 24-yard touchdown pass.to tight end Brevin Jordan on the right hash marks at 9:53 of the first quarter.

     Florida State(0-2, 0-2) put up some points on their first drive. Ryan Fitzgerald was able to boot a 26-yard field goal at the 5:41 mark. 

     The Hurricanes reached the end zone with 19 seconds remaining in the first quarter to go up 14-3. Running back Cam'Ron Harris rambled in from three yards out. 

     In the second quarter, the Canes expanded their lead to 21-3 at the 12:36 mark. Harris sprinted up the middle untouched from 12 yards away. 

     It became a 25-point margin for Miami at 10:17 of the second. King connected a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Dee Wiggins on the right side of the end zone. 

     The Hurricanes extended their lead to 35-3 with 3:37 left. Running back Donald Chaney Jr. scored on a three-yard touchdown run through the middle of the field. Jose Borregales kicked a 31-yard field goal with one second remaining in the first half to lead 38-3. 

     The Seminoles quickly scored in the third quarter at the 10:57 mark. Quarterback James Blackman found tight end Camren McDonald on a 12-yard touchdown toss. 

     The Canes made it a 35-point margin with a score three seconds into the fourth quarter. Chaney was able to rush in from five yards out. Backup quarterback N'kosi Perry entered the contest and fired a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Redding III with 6:30 left to make it 52-10.  

Yankees Leap By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins got beat by the New York Yankees 11-4 on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The Marlins clinched a National League playoff spot on Friday to reach the postseason for the first time since 2003. 

     Miami(30-29) compiled three runs during the third inning. Miguel Rojas doubled into left field and Monte Harrison scored. Two batters later, Jon Berti drove in Rojas with a base hit to center field. Berti would score on a Matt Joyce single to left.

     New York(33-26) made a move in the bottom of the fifth to even it up 3-3. Tyler Wade lifted a two-run homer to right field on the first pitch with Gary Sanchez aboard. Former Marlins player Giancarlo Stanton nailed a double into the left-center field gap to score Aaron Judge.

     The Yankees took the lead with seven runs in the sixth inning to go ahead 10-3. After a Gio Urshela walk, Aaron Hicks blasted a two-run home run to right-center field on a 2-1 count. D.J. LeMahieu hit a two-run double to left field for Clint Frazier and Sanchez to reach home. Luke Voit eventually crushed a three-run homer on a 3-2 pitch to right-center field. LeMahieu and Stanton scored in front of him on the play. 

Celtics Avoid Elimination To Heat

     The Boston Celtics pulled away from the Miami Heat 121-108 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night at AdventHealth Arena in Lake Buena Vista. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and are 11-3 in the postseason. 

     Miami had a 26-18 advantage at the end of one quarter and stayed ahead 58-51 at halftime. Boston outscored the Heat 41-25 in the third quarter and led 92-83. The Celtics had a 16-point lead 107-91 with 6:34 left in the fourth quarter. 

     The Heat got a team-high 23 points from Goran Dragic and 20 points from Duncan Robinson. Jimmy Butler compiled 17 points, eight assists and eight rebounds while Tyler Herro was held to 14 points. Jayson Tatum dropped a game-high 31 points and 10 rebounds for the C's. Jaylen Brown contributed 28 points and Daniel Theis complied a double-double of 15 points along with 13 rebounds. 

Marlins Clinch Playoff Spot Over Yankees

     The Miami Marlins knocked off the New York Yankees 4-3 in 10 innings at Yankee Stadium on Friday night to clinch a National League playoff spot. It is the Marlins first appearance in the postseason since 2003. 

     Miami(30-28) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Garrett Cooper smashed a three-run homer to right field on the first pitch. Jesus Aguilar and Brian Anderson were able to score in front of him on the play. 

     New York(32-26) were down 3-2 in the bottom of the third. Aaron Hicks doubled into right field for D.J. LeMahieu and Aaron Judge to score. 

     The Yankees tied the contest 3-3 in the eighth inning. Judge hit a single to shallow right field and Mike Tauchman crossed the plate. 

     In the 10th inning, the Marlins reclaimed the lead. Aguilar powered a sacrifice fly to deep right for Monte Harrison to reach home. 

American Heritage Drops Benjamin

     The American Heritage Stallions beat the Benjamin Buccaneers 24-3 at The Corral in Delray Beach on Friday night. It was the first game that the Stallions had played since their head coach Brian Sheridan passed away less than two weeks ago. 

     American Heritage(1-1) got a 34-yard field goal from Everest Farrell in the first quarter to go up 3-0. Wide receiver Brandon Schabert received the snap and was able to burst in from two yards away with 2:27 left in the second quarter for a 10-point margin. 

     The Stallions made it 17-0 at the 6:53 mark of the third quarter. Quarterback Dylan Rizk connected a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandyn Butler.

     Benjamin(0-1) broke the shutout with 3:31 remaining in the third. Marco Chojnacki was able to kick a 33-yard field goal and they trailed 17-3.   

     Another touchdown was scored by American Heritage at 10:41 of the final quarter. Butler raced down the right sideline into the end zone on a 48-yard pass play from Rizk. 

Cardinal Newman At King's Academy Preview

     The King's Academy Lions host the Cardinal Newman Crusaders on Friday night at Kahlert Stadium. Both teams have clashed against each other to make the FHSAA Class 3A playoffs for the past couple of years.

     Cardinal Newman(0-1) did not play their home game last week against Benjamin because of a coronavirus situation with somebody in its football program. The Crusaders played their season opener at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale and fell 19-0. They are led on offense by their rushing attack of running backs Domenico Fusco and Vinkevus Pierre. Quarterbacks Matthew Shannon and Joe Thomas will call the signals. Denzel Williams and Jason Lovingshimer are their wide receiver threats.       

     King's Academy(2-0) has been in two high-scoring contests to begin the 2020 season. They won their home opener over Lemon Bay 33-27 and then went to Glades Day for a 41-20 victory last week. The Lions offense has Will Pritchard at quarterback and Dominick Ratty as their primary running back. Pritchard has numerous targets that include Jonathan Joseph, Preston Martin, Sean Corrigan and Jackson Worley. 

Benjamin At American Heritage Preview

     The Benjamin Buccaneers face the American Heritage Stallions at The Corral in Delray Beach on Friday night. It is a battle between two of the top private school football programs in Palm Beach County. 

     Benjamin(0-0) will be playing in their season opener. They were going to play last week against Cardinal Newman, however a coronavirus situation with their opponent happened and the contest was not played. Quarterback Tyler Aronson will call the signals and lead the Buccaneers offense. 

     American Heritage(0-1) head coach Brian Sheridan passed away almost two weeks ago and their game at Calvary Christian last week was cancelled. The Stallions were blanked 19-0 in their home opener against Bishop Verot. Running back Trey Rainey, who played last year with the Boca Raton Bobcats, will get most of the carries from the backfield. Quarterback Dylan Rizk looks to find wide receivers Brandyn Butler, Matthew Smiciklas, Brandon Schabert and Matthew Hall for pass receptions. 

Chaminade-Madonna At Bishop Verot Preview

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions go to Fort Myers and challenge the Bishop Verot Vikings on Friday night. Both schools have high aspirations to make the FHSAA playoffs later this year. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(1-1) will play their first road game of the 2020 regular season. They defeated Champagnat Catholic 27-14 in the home opener and lost to the American Heritage Patriots 7-3 last week. Running back Thaddius Franklin was injured during the fourth quarter of the Lions previous contest. The team can use Brady Kelly and Jaylen Tolbert at quarterback. Wide receivers Brian Dilworth and Joshua Jenkins are expected to make catches downfield. 

     Bishop Verot(2-1) have won their last two games. After a season opener loss to Jesuit 28-21, the Vikings travelled to Delray Beach and shut out the American Heritage Stallions 19-0 followed by a home victory over Lakeland Christian 21-20. Quarterback Jacob Azizi can make long gains on runs. They will have running backs Cori Davis and Andrew Kelton make most of their carries. Wide receiver Malik Curtis is their primary threat on pass receptions.

Marlins Move By Braves

     The Miami Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 at Truist Park on Thursday night. A rain delay prevented the start of the contest for one hour and 39 minutes. The Marlins snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory and avoided a four-game sweep by the Braves. 

     Miami(29-28) broke the scoreless tie during the sixth inning. Chad Wallach singled to right field to score Brian Anderson. Jon Berti then doubled to left field which brought in Garrett Cooper and Wallach for a 3-0 lead.

     The Marlins expanded their lead to 4-0 in the top of the seventh. Jesus Aguilar blasted a solo home run to center field on a 1-2 pitch

     Atlanta(34-23) had the bases loaded during the bottom of the eighth. Dansby Swanson got a base hit through the hole on the left side for Marcell Ozuna and Travis d'Arnaud to cross the plate. 

Dolphins Ride By Jaguars

     The Miami Dolphins travelled up I-95 and handled the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-13 at TIAA Bank Field on Thursday night. It was the first victory for the Dolphins this season.

     The Dolphins scored on their three possessions of the contest. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a three-yard pass to wide receiver Preston Williams in the end zone for a 7-0 lead at the 8:15 mark. 

     Miami(1-2) made it a 14-point margin with 2:37 left in the first quarter. Running back Jordan Howard rushed to the right side and scored from one yard out. 

     In the second quarter, Jacksonville(1-2) got on the scoreboard. Running back James Robinson sprinted up the middle on an 11-yard touchdown run at 13:04. 

     The Dolphins extended their lead to 21-7 with 5:58 remaining in the second. Fitzpatrick found tight end Mike Gesicki on a 15-yard touchdown pass on the right side. 

     There was only one scoring play during the third quarter. Fitzpatrick sneaked into the end zone off-righ tackle from one yard away at the 2:01 mark for a Dolphins 28-7 lead.

     The Jaguars got a touchdown with 9:03 left in the fourth quarter and trailed 28-13. Robinson busted through the middle on a one-yard touchdown run. The Fins capped the victory on a 30-yard field goal by Jason Sanders with 3:54 to go. 

Florida Panthers Acquire Patric Hornqvist

     The Florida Panthers have acquired right wing Patric Hornqvist from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Mike Matheson and right wing Colton Sceviour. The Panthers were trying to add more space available for their salary cap over the next couple of seasons. 

     Hornqvist helped the Penguins win two straight Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. He had 132 goals and 132 assists in 407 games during his seven seasons with the Pens. Hornqvist played the first six seasons of his NHL career with the Nashville Predators. 

     Matheson leaves the Panthers after five seasons with the club. He first got noticed as a replacement on the team during the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders. He played 299 games with the Cats and compiled 33 goals along with 58 assists. 

     Sceviour ended a four-year run with Florida. He was involved in 284 games with the team and put together 31 goals and 48 assists. Sceviour was mainly used on the checking line and on the penalty-killing unit. 

Chris Perkins Returns To Sun-Sentinel

      Local sports reporter Chris Perkins has returned to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel for the third time. He will not be involved with the sports department and will write about weather occurrences and the environment. 

      Perkins was the Miami Dolphins beat reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel until August 2018. He became the first media member to join The Athletic Miami in September 2018 and held the post of Dolphins beat writer until June 2020. Perkins recently was the University of Miami Hurricanes reporter at Sports Illustrated and their website SI.com since August. 

Zack Duarte Back At Entercom

     Zack Duarte returned back to Entercom Communications several weeks ago. He has been working as the postgame studio host at the Miami Dolphins Radio Network which is on 560 The Joe WQAM-AM. 

     Entercom released Duarte along with several other on-talent personnel earlier this year. Duarte was elevated to occasional evening co-host in December 2018 and became the main evening host on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM from October 2019 until April 2020. He did work as a producer, sports anchor and weekend host for that station during his tenure. 

Heat Take Celtics

     The Miami Heat topped the Boston Celtics 112-109 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at AdventHealth Arena in Orlando on Wednesday night. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and are one victory away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014. They have an all-time record of 11-0 when they lead a playoff series 3-1. 

     Miami had a 24-23 advantage after one quarter and were up 50-46. Boston cut into the deficit and trailed 77-76 at the end of three quarters. The Heat extended their lead to 107-98 with 56.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter. 

     Tyler Herro put in a game-high 37 points for the Heat. It was the seventh highest point total by a rookie player in NBA history. Bam Adebayo had a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds while Jimmy Butler fell short of a double-double with 24 points and nine rebounds. Goran Dragic was able to get 22 points for Miami. Jayson Tatum had a team-high 28 points along with nine rebounds. Jaylen Brown dropped in 21 points and Kemba Walker scored 20 points. 

Inter Miami CF Fall To New York Red Bulls

     Inter Miami CF lost to New York Red Bulls 4-1 at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday night. It was the first time in over two months that the club faced some other opponent that was not Orlando City SC, Atlanta United FC or Nashville SC. 

     New York Red Bulls got up 1-0  in the 14th minute. They were awarded a penalty kick and Mandela Egbo placed it into the low right corner of the cage.

     Inter Miami CF waited until the 39th minute to get the equalizer and tie it up 1-1. Juan Agudelo was able to get the tally when he made a sliding right-footed shot from seven yards out. Agudelo compiled his 50th MLS goal on the play. 

     In the second half, New York Red Bulls regained the lead 2-1 during the 49th minute. Brian White tapped the ball with his right foot into the low left corner of the net from nine yards away for his first goal of the year. 

     New York Red Bulls increased the gap late in the contest. Ben Mines put in a rebound with a right-foot volley from 13 yards out in the 85th minute and Daniel Royer scored during the 90th minute. 

Marlins Jumped By Braves

    The Miami Marlins were passed by the Atlanta Braves 9-4 on Wednesday night at Truist Park. The magic number remains three for the Marlins to make the National League postseason. 

     Miami(28-28) raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-out rally. Jesus Aguilar smashed a solo homer to left field on a 2-0 pitch. Brian Anderson followed with solo home run to center field on a 3-1 count. 

     Atlanta(34-22) responded with a three runs in the bottom of the frame. Freddie Freeman doubled to right field and Ronald Acuna Jr. crossed the plate. Ozzie Albies then drove in Freeman with a base hit into center field. Former Marlins player Adeiny Hechavarria hit the ball up the middle up the middle for Albies to score.

     In the third inning, the Braves made it 4-2. Hechavarria singled into shallow right field for another former Marlins player Marcell Ozuna to reach home. 

     The Marlins came back with two runs in the top of the fourth to tie it 4-4. Lewis Brinson drove in Anderson on a single to center. Brinson would score on a ground out by Jon Berti to third. 

     The Bravos responded with five more runs in the bottom of the fourth and regained the lead 9-4. The frame was capped on a three-run homer by Dansby Swanson to center field on a 1-1 pitch. Albies and Nick Markakis scored in front of Swanson on that play. 

Braves Wipe Out Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves routed the Miami Marlins 11-1 at Truist Park on Tuesday night. The Braves were able to clinch the National League East Division for the third straight season. The Marlins have been outscored 31-5 in their last three games. 

Inter Miami CF Announce Remaining 2020 Schedule

     Inter Miami CF has announced the remaining games for the rest of the 2020 Major League Soccer regular season. The slate of contests during the regular season has been rescheduled on several occasions this year. 

     Inter Miami CF will have six more home games to be held at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. There will face New York Red Bulls(September 23), New York City FC(October 3), Houston Dynamo(October 10), Atlanta United FC(October 14), Orlando City SC(October 24) and FC Cincinnati(November 8). 

     The team will be on the road for five contests. The club travels to Philadelphia Union(September 27), New York Red Bulls(October 7), Montreal Impact(October 17), FC Dallas(October 28) and Toronto FC(November 1). 

Bob Boughner New San Jose Sharks Head Coach

     The San Jose Sharks have named Bob Boughner as their new head coach and removed the interim title. He rejoined that organization for the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach. Boughner was elevated to interim head coach when Peter DeBoer, a former Florida Panthers head coach, was fired. Former Panthers players John Madden and Rocky Thompson were named to the new Sharks coaching staff. 

     Boughner had a two-year run as the head coach of the Florida Panthers. He ended up with an 80-62-22 record with the club and missed the playoffs in both seasons.

Wei-Yin Chen Goes To Japan

     Former Miami Marlins pitcher Wei-Yin Chen will be playing baseball in Japan. He will be joining the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball. 

     Chen was with the Marlins from 2016 until 2019. He went 13-19 in 102 games with a 5.10 earned-runs-average in four seasons with Miami. 

Braves Break Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves escaped with a 5-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Monday night at Truist Park. It began the final road trip for the Marlins during the 2020 regular season. The Braves extended their lead for first place in the National League East. 

     It was a scoring fest as both clubs put up a combined seven runs during the first inning. Miami(28-26) got three runs in the top of the first. Jesus Aguilar singled to center field which scored Starling Marte. Brian Anderson then got a base hit into left field for Aguilar to score. Garrett Cooper drove Matt Joyce in on a single to left. 

     Atlanta(32-22) came back with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead. Travis d'Arnaud get an infield hit to third and Ronald Acuna Jr. reached home. Ozzie Albies singled up the middle and brought in former Marlin player Marcell Ozuna. Austin Riley then powered a double to deep right as Adam Duvall and Albies scored. 

     In the second inning, the Braves made it 5-3. Acuna ripped a ground-rule double to left field and Dansby Swanson crossed the plate. 

     The Marlins cut the lead to 5-4 during the eighth inning. Jorge Alfaro hit the ball to left field and Miguel Rojas scored. 

Bills Dispose Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills 31-28 at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday. It was the first pro football game played at that venue since Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers in February. Preseason games were scrapped by the National Football League due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

     Buffalo(2-0) now leads the AFC East Division after two weeks. Miami(0-2) shares last place with the New York Jets.

Nationals Rout Marlins

     The Washington Nationals dominated the Miami Marlins 15-0 in the second game of  a doubleheader, which was seven innings long, at Marlins Park. Miami(28-25) played their final home game of the 2020 regular season. 

     Washington(20-32) went up 1-0 with a leadoff home run by Trea Turner to left-center field on the first pitch of the contest. Kurt Suzuki later hit a two-run double into right field  to score Juan Soto and Asdrubal Cabrera.  

     The Nationals added three more runs in the top of the third to make it 6-0. Suzuki smacked a solo home run over the left-field fence on a 2-0 count. Four batters later, Michael A. Taylor belted a two-run homer to the left-center field on a 1-1 pitch with Carter Kieboom aboard. 

Marlins Slip By Nationals

     The Miami Marlins edged the Washington Nationals 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader. The contest lasted for seven innings. 

     Miami(28-24) jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Corey Dickerson was able to score on a throwing error by Luis Garcia. 

     Washington(19-32) tied it up during the top of the fifth. Trea Turner knocked in Brock Holt with an infield base hit to third. 

     The Marlins recaptured the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Monte Harrison crossed the plate when Eric Thames made a catching error at first with Starling Marte at the plate. 

Gary Hughes Passes Away

     Longtime baseball scout Gary Hughes passed away on Saturday at the age of 79. He was involved in the scouting of baseball players for 54 years. 

     Hughes was known locally as the scouting director and baseball scout for the Florida Marlins during the 1990s and was a part of implementing a professional roster for the new expansion franchise in 1993. The club eventually won the World Series in 1997 during their fifth season in existence. 

     He also worked for other organizations in baseball operations. They included the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. 

Celtics Survive Heat

     The Boston Celtics bounced back with a 117-106 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at AdventHealth Arena in Lake Buena Vista. The Celtics held the lead from wire-to-wire and the Heat now hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Both teams will have a long wait and continue the series on Wednesday. 

     Boston broke out to a 31-22 lead after one quarter and stayed in front 63-50 at halftime. Miami trailed by 19 points 81-62 with 4:43 left in the third quarter and were down 89-74 entering the fourth. The Heat was able to cut the deficit down to five points 109-104 with 55.9 seconds remaining in the final quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a game-high 27 points and 16 rebounds. Tyler Herro contributed 22 points while Jimmy Butler pumped in 17 points. Jaylen Brown had a team-high 26 points for the C's. Jayson Tatum compiled a double-double with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Kemba Walker added 21 points and Marcus Smart had 20 points. 

Hurricanes Outscore Louisville

     The University of Miami Hurricanes outlasted the University of Louisville Cardinals 47-34 on Saturday night. It was the first Atlantic Coast Conference contest for both schools this season. 

     Louisville(1-1, 0-1) struck first at 9:02 of the opening quarter. James Turner was able to kick a 40-yard field goal for his first points as a college football player. 

     Miami(2-0, 1-0) took the lead with 7:11 left in the first. Quarterback D'Eriq King tossed a 17-yard pass to tight end Will Mallory on the left hash marks. 

     The Hurricanes expanded their lead to 14-3 with 1:41 remaining in the quarter. Former Deerfield Beach running back Jaylan Knighton scored his first touchdown of his college career as he dashed to the right side from three yards out. 

     The Cardinals had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Turner and they were down 14-6 at the 11:09 mark of the second quarter. 

     The Canes picked up two field goals from Jose Borregales for a 20-6 lead. He made a 48-yard field goal with 10:07 to go and nailed a 57-yard field goal with 5:49 remaining in the second. 

     In the second half, Louisville scored on their first drive at 11:28 of the third quarter and were behind 20-13. Running back Javian Hawkins reversed field and went toward the left sideline for a 19-yard touchdown. 

     Miami answered back just 13 seconds later and again had a 14-point margin. Running back Cam'Ron Harris sprinted through and scored from 75 yards away. 

     The Cardinals responded with a touchdown on their next drive at the 5:13 mark. Former Miami Northwestern quarterback and current Louisville wide receiver Chatarius "Tutu" Atwell caught a six-yard pass on the front left side of the end zone from quarterback Malik Cunningham. 

     The Hurricanes came back with another score with 5:02 left in the third quarter. King threw a swing pass toward the right sideline to Knighton who was all alone and raced in from 75 yards out. 

     Borregales added a 22-yard field goal with 40 seconds remaining in the third. He later booted a 40-yard field goal at the 10:40 mark of the fourth quarter and the Canes led 40-20. 

     Louisville attempted to keep up close with Miami. Cunningham made a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marshon Ford on the right side with 7:04 to go. 

     More scoring came from both teams down the stretch. King found Hurricanes tight end Brevin Jordan on a 47-yard pass play with 5:20 remaining. Atwell made his second touchdown reception from Cunningham for Louisville with 2:06 left in the fourth. 

Marlins Push By Nationals

     The Miami Marlins handled the Washington Nationals 7-3 at Marlins Park on Saturday night. Both teams will face each other on Sunday in a doubleheader to complete the five-game series. 

     Miami(27-24) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Miguel Rojas lifted a solo home run to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch. 

     The Marlins extended their lead to 3-0 during the bottom of the third. Garrett Cooper blasted a two-run homer over the right-center field on a 2-0 count with Rojas aboard. 

     Washington(19-31) got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth and trailed 3-2. Andrew Stevenson lined a base hit into shallow center to score Asdrubal Cabrera and Luis Garcia.  

     The Fish responded in the bottom of the frame. Corey Dickerson tapped a single to in front of the mound and Lewis Brinson scored from third. Chad Wallach would later drive in Dickerson with a base hit to right field for a 5-2 lead. 

     In the fifth inning, Miami moved it to 6-2. Brian Anderson knocked in Starling Marte on a single to center field. They added another run in the sixth when Cooper doubled to center and Wallach reached home. 

     The Nationals tried to come back in the seventh inning. Park Vista grad Trea Turner hit a sacrifice fly into right to score Carter Kieboom. 

Inter Miami CF Beat Atlanta United FC

      Inter Miami CF topped Atlanta United FC 2-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday night. It was the longest break since the MLS Tournament for Inter Miami CF as they had one week off between games. Inter Miami CF has gone 2-0-1 against Atlanta United FC in September. 

     Both clubs came out with scoring very early in the contest. Inter Milan CF quickly got up 1-0 on a goal as Juan Agudelo booted a right-footed shot from 11 yards away in the second minute. 

     Atlanta United FC responded fast in the fifth minute to even it 1-1. Jon Gallagher blasted a left-footed shot from 11 yards into the top left corner of the net. 

     Inter Miami CF reclaimed the lead 2-1 during the 11th minute. Brek Shea was able to head the ball into the top half of the cage from two yards out. 

Isaac De Leon Send To Orioles

     The Miami Marlins have sent shortstop Isaac De Leon to the Baltimore Orioles. He is the player to be named later in the trade which the Marlins acquired pitcher Richard Bleier. 

     De Leon signed with the Marlins back in 2018. He played last season in the Dominican Summer League as he compiled one home run, 20 runs batted in and a .256 batting average in 66 games. 

Antonio Callaway Suspended More Games

     Miami Dolphins wide receiver Antonio Callaway was suspended for four more games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He will not be eligible to play in the 2020 NFL season until Week 8. 

     Callaway was recently signed by the Dolphins earlier this month. He previously played for the Booker T. Washington Tornadoes and University of Florida Gators. Callaway played the last two seasons with the Cleveland Browns. 

Gonzalo Higuain Joins Inter Miami CF

     Longtime international soccer player Gonzalo Higuain has signed a contract with Inter Miami CF. He recently played with Juventus in Serie A where the team won three domestic titles. Higuain joins his former Juventus teammate Blaise Matuidi, who signed last month with Inter Miami CF. 

     Higuain began his club career with River Plate in Argentina for two seasons. He landed at Real Madrid and was there from 2007 to 2013. He followed that with a stop at Napoli from 2013 until 2016. Higuain spent the last four seasons with Juventus and was loaned for one year to AC Milan and Chelsea. 

     He becomes the third and last designated player on Inter Miami CF. The others are Rodolfo Pizarro and Matias Pellegrini. 

Marlins Split Doubleheader With Nationals

     Brian Anderson collected three home runs as the Miami Marlins dumped the Washington Nationals 14-3 in a seven-inning contest on Friday night at Marlins Park. Anderson matched Mike Lowell in 2004 and Cody Ross in 2006 with three homers in one game by a Marlins player. Both clubs ended up splitting a doubleheader. 

     Washington(19-30) raced out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Kurt Suzuki hit a sacrifice fly to left field which scored Trea Turner. Josh Harrison then drove in Juan Soto with a single into right field. 

     The Marlins got one run in the bottom of the frame. Corey Dickerson ripped a solo home run to right-center field on a full count. The Fish tied it in the second inning when Anderson belted a solo shot to left-center field on a 1-2 pitch. 

     Miami(26-24) took the lead with four runs during the third inning. Jesus Aguilar walked with the bases loaded and Dickerson scored. Miguel Rojas grounded into a fielder's choice for Starling Marte to score. Lewis Brinson singled into left field for Garrett Cooper and Aguilar to cross the plate. 

     Anderson added two more home runs to make it a blowout win for the Marlins. He had three-run homers in the sixth inning and seventh inning. Cooper and Aguilar were both on base during both blasts. 

American Heritage Stops Chaminade-Madonna

     The American Heritage Patriots held off the Chaminade-Madonna Lions 7-3 at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood on Friday night. The game ended up turning into a defensive contest. 

     There was no scoring in the opening quarter. Chaminade-Madonna(1-1) took take the lead 3-0 at the 9:40 mark of the second quarter when Samir Atassi kicked a 21-yard field goal.

     American Heritage(1-0) moved in front 7-3 just before halftime. Quarterback Blake Murphy scrambled out of the pocket and to the right sideline for a five-yard touchdown run with 1:58 left in the second. Neither team scored in the second half. 

Nationals Shut Out Marlins

     The Washington Nationals blanked the Miami Marlins 5-0 in a seven-inning contest. It was the first game of a doubleheader between both clubs and the start of a five-game weekend series. 

     Washington(19-29) put up two runs in the top of the second. Luis Garcia knocked in Yan Gomes with a double into center field. Carter Kieboom followed with a base hit into right field and Garcia crossed the plate. 

     In the fourth inning, Miami(25-24) surrendered two more runs. Andrew Stevenson drove in Gomes and Garcia with a single to right. Victor Robles came up and singled into left field to score Kieboom.

Denver Broncos Sign Anthony Chickillo

     The Denver Broncos have inked defensive lineman Anthony Chickillo. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints back in May to a one-year deal and put on their practice squad earlier this month. 

     Chickillo played college football with the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2015 NFL Draft. Chickillo performed in 65 games over five seasons with them and had 97 combined tackles. 

Steve Goldstein Announcing Stanley Cup Final

     Florida Panthers television play-by-play announcer Steve Goldstein will be the radio studio host on Westwood One Sports alongside play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert and game analyst Joe Micheletti for the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. Goldstein will be announcing from South Florida for the clash in Edmonton between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars. 

     Goldstein has worked the Stanley Cup Final on national radio since 2016. He has been associated with Florida Panthers broadcasts on either television or radio since the 1996-97 season. 

Heat Overcome Celtics

     The Miami Heat came back on the Boston Celtics 106-101 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals at AdventHealth Arena outside of Orlando. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 2-0 and now have a postseason record of 10-1. 

     Boston held a 31-28 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Celtics had a 12-5 spurt during the second quarter and were up 60-47 by halftime. Miami went on a 25-11 run at the beginning of the second half and led 84-77 after three quarters. The Heat got seven straight points as they outscored the Celtics 11-6 in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter. 

     Goran Dragic had a game-high 25 points for Miami while Bam Adebayo compiled a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Duncan Robinson dropped in 18 points and Jimmy Butler added 14 points. Kemba Walker put up a team-high 23 points for Boston. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both had 21 points each. 

American Heritage At Chaminade-Madonna Preview

     The American Heritage Patriots head to Hollywood and face the Chaminade-Madonna Lions at Vince Zappone Field on Friday night. Both teams faced each other last year and the Patriots defeated the Lions 20-13. 

     American Heritage will be playing their first game of the 2020 regular season. They lost in the regional final last year to eventual FHSAA Class 5A state champion Miami Northwestern. The Patriots have a handful of players on their roster who were part of their last championship team in 2017. Wide receivers Orande Gadsden II, Jacolby Spells and Michael Watkins III look to make catches from quarterback Blake Murphy. Running backs Mark Fletcher and Jerry Dinkins are likely to get most of their rushing opportunities. They have a strong secondary with defensive backs James Williams and Boogsie Silvera.

     Chaminade-Madonna(1-0) will host their second game of the 2020 campaign. The Lions were able to defeat defending FHSAA Class 2A state champion Champagnat Catholic 27-14 last week. Most of their players on their team were part of the championship squad last season. The defending three-time Class 3A state champions are explosive on offense led by running back Thaddius Franklin. They can go with Jaylon Tolbert and Brady Kelly at quarterback to call the signals. Defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. will lead their defensive unit. 

Red Sox Hook Marlins

     The Miami Marlins lost to the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Thursday at Marlins Park. The Red Sox ended up winning two contests of the three-game series between both clubs. Miami(25-23) will finish their final home stand of the 2020 season with five games against the Washington Nationals.

     Boston(19-32) broke the scoreless tie during the sixth inning. Kevin Plawecki hit a two-run singled into left field that brought in Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts. 

     In the top of the seventh, the Red Sox expanded it to a five-run margin. Devers pounded a three-run homer to right-center field on a 1-1 pitch. Christian Arroyo and Alex Verdugo were able to score in front of him on the play. 

     Miami(25-23) put three runs in the bottom of the frame. Jorge Alfaro knocked in Garrett Cooper on a base hit into right field. Chad Wallach then doubled to center and Miguel Rojas crossed the plate. Alfaro would score on a ground out by Starling Marte to third. 

Marlins Down Red Sox

     The Miami Marlins powered by the Boston Red Sox 8-4 at Marlins Park on Wednesday night. The Marlins have won six of their last nine games. The final contest of the three-game series happens on Thursday. 

     Miami(25-22) moved out to a 2-0 lead during the first inning. Garrett Cooper smashed a two-run homer over the center-field fence on a 2-2 pitch with Jesus Aguilar aboard. 

     Boston(18-32) picked up a run in the top of the third. J.D. Martinez hit a sacrifice fly into right field and Alex Verdugo crossed the plate. 

     The Marlins responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Brian Anderson knocked in Miguel Rojas with a base hit into right field. Two batter later, Lewis Brinson doubled to left and Anderson scored. Jorge Alfaro came up next and belted a two-run homer to right-center field on a 1-2 count.  

     The Red Sox make it 6-2 in the fifth inning. Devers got a double into into right field to score Alex Verdugo. 

      In the bottom of the fifth, Alfaro connected on a 0-1 pitch to left-center field for his second home run of the game. Cooper was able to score in front of him on the play and the Marlins led 8-2. 

     Another two runs would be scored by Boston in the seventh inning. Martinez nailed a two-run homer on a 0-1 pitch to right field and Xander Bogaerts scored. 

Dolphins Sign Cordrea Tankersley

     The Miami Dolphins have signed defensive back Cordrea Tankersley. He along with center Tyler Gauthier will be placed on the practice squad. 

     Tankersley was with the Dolphins until August 5 when the club cut him from the roster. He did play with Miami during the 2017 and 2018 NFL seasons. Tankersley had 24 solo tackles in 11 games during his rookie year with the Fins. 

Miami Dolphins Release Jake Rudock Again

     The Miami Dolphins have released quarterback Jake Rudock from their team. They have signed quarterback Reid Sinnett to replace him. Rudock was signed and cut by the Dolphins in June. 

     Rudock was on the Dolphins practice squad during the 2019 season. He did participate in three games for the Detroit Lions back in 2017 and completed three passes for 24 yards. Rudock played high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and helped them win the 2010 FHSAA Class 5A state title along with a national championship. 

Red Sox Blank Marlins

     The Boston Red Sox shut out the Miami Marlins 2-0 at Marlins Park on Tuesday night. It was the beginning of a rare visit by the Red Sox to Miami(24-22) for an interleague game. 

     Boston(18-31) made it 1-0 during the fifth inning. Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled into left field to score Xander Bogaerts. 

     The Red Sox extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the eighth. Christian Vazquez knocked in Rafael Devers on a base hit into center. 

Heat Drive By Celtics

     The Miami Heat got by the Boston Celtics 117-114 in overtime to take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Field House in Lake Buena Vista on Tuesday night. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 1-0 and will face the Celtics in Game 2 on Thursday. 

     Boston blasted out with the first eight points of the contest and had a 26-16 advantage after one quarter. Miami went on a 19-6 spurt and took their first lead 39-38 with 5:59 remaining in the second quarter. Both clubs were tied 55-55 at halftime. The Celtics finished off the third quarter on a 13-2 run and led 83-71. The Heat came back after being down 105-100 with 1:09 left and the contest went to overtime. 

     The C's got the first four points of the extra session, however they lost the lead. Jimmy Butler made a driving eight-foot shot from the right of the key and added a free throw for the Heat to lead 116-114 with 12 seconds to go. Jayson Tatum drove through the right of the land and his slam-dunk attempt was blocked by Bam Adebayo with 3.7 seconds left. 

     Goran Dragic had 29 points and seven rebounds for Miami. Jae Crowder pumped in 22 points and Butler added 20 points. Adebayo fell short of a double-double with 18 points and nine assists. Tatum got a game-high 30 points and 14 rebounds for Boston. Marcus Smart scored 26 points while Kemba Walker dropped in 19 points. 

Florida Panthers Add To Hockey Operations

     The Florida Panthers have added more people to their hockey operations department. Their general manager Bill Zito was hired back on September 2 by Panthers owners Vincent Viola and Doug Cifu. 

     The team has named Rick Dudley and Paul Fenton as senior advisors to the general manager. Both have been in the National Hockey League in some capacity for over 20 years. 

     Dudley was the general manager of the Florida Panthers in 2002-03 and 2003-04. He had senior executive stints with the Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes. He was the senior vice president of hockey operations with the Hurricanes over the past two seasons. 

     Fenton was the assistant general manager of the Nashville Predators from 2006-07 until 2017-18. He also was a general manager of the Minnesota Wild in 2018-19 and a scout for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. 

     The club also added Gregory Campbell as vice president of player personnel and development, Blake Geoffrion as assistant to the general manager and Paul Fenton Jr. as a scout. Campbell once played with the Panthers as a center from 2003-04 to 2009-10 and compiled 85 points in 363 games. He won a Stanley Cup title with the Boston Bruins in 2010-11. 

     Geoffrion, a Plantation native, is the grandson of Hockey Hall of Fame member Bernie Geoffrion and great-grandson of Howie Morenz. He once played in the NHL with the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens from 2010-11 until 2011-12. He was with the Blue Jackets in hockey operations for the last seven seasons. 

     The Panthers announced that they will not retain Mike Kitchen as an assistant coach. He finished his second stint with the Florida Panthers and working alongside head coach Joel Quenneville. Their AHL assistant coach Doug Janik will not be joining their new affiliate in Charlotte after being in Springfield last season. 

Larry Blustein Back On WQAM

     Larry Blustein returned back on the local radio airwaves this week on 560 The Joe WQAM-AM. It was the first time he was on that radio station since April. 

     Blustein first appeared on the Joe Rose Show with Zach Krantz on September 11. He relaunched a weekly high school football program on Monday night. 

     He covered high school athletics and high school football recruiting with Miami Herald for several decades. Blustein became a part of South Florida High School Sports.com as their lead writer and hosted a weekly sports show on WQAM. After Entercom Communications eliminated that property following a 14-yeear run, he created the website Larry Blustein.com in April. Blustein also formed another company Florida Kids Football as a recruiting analyst that month. 

Marlins End Phillies

     The Miami Marlins finished off a seven-game series as they beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Monday at Marlins Park. The Marlins remained in second place ahead of the Phillies and will host the Boston Red Sox for the next three days. 

     Philadelphia(23-23) did not wait long to take a 1-0 lead. Their leadoff batter Andrew McCutchen smacked a solo home run to center field on a 1-2 pitch. 

     Miami(24-21) evened it up 1-1 in the second inning. Jazz Chisholm drove in Matt Joyce with a single into center field. 

     In the third inning, the Marlins took their first lead of the game. Jesus Aguilar lined a double down the left-field line to score Corey Dickerson and Starling Marte. 

     The Fish extended their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Brian Anderson doubled into center field and Miguel Rojas crossed the plate. 

     Miami continued to pour it in during the sixth inning as Rojas lifted a solo homer over the left-center field wall on a 1-0 count. Marte nailed a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to right field on a 1-2 pitch. 

     The Phillies cut the deficit to 6-2 in the eighth inning. Scott Kingery cracked a solo homer to center field on a 1-2 count. 

Patriots Pay Back Dolphins

     The New England Patriots held off the Miami Dolphins 21-11 to open up the 2020 NFL regular season at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots lost the final game of the season last year in Miami and dropped from the second seed to the third seed of the AFC playoffs. 

     New England(1-0) got out in front 7-0 at 13:12 in the second quarter. Quarterback Cam Newton went through the right side of the line to score from four yards out. 

     Miami(0-1) closed it to 7-3 with 3:53 left in the first half. Jason Saunders booted a 46-yard field goal for them. 

     In the third quarter, the Patriots expanded their lead to 14-3 at the 10:14 mark. Newton rushed out of the pocket toward the right sideline and scored from 11 yards away. 

     The Dolphins got their only touchdown of the contest at 10:31 of the final quarter. Running back Jordan Howard rumbled to the left side of the end zone from one yard. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick added a two-point conversion on a running play and they trailed 14-11.

     New England capped the scoring with 5:23 to go. Former American Heritage running back busted through for one yard up the middle to give them a 21-11 lead. 

Marlins Sweep Doubleheader From Phillies

     The Miami Marlins completed a sweep of a doubleheader with an 8-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Marlins Park on Sunday. The Marlins jumped over the Phillies for second place in the National League East. Both clubs look to reach the National League postseason. 

     Miami(23-21) jumped out with three runs during the first innings. Jesus Aguilar drove in Corey Dickerson with a single into right field. Matt Joyce came up and singled to left for Starling Marte to score. Brian Anderson then got a base hit into right and Aguilar crossed the plate. 

     Philadelphia(23-22) got their only run of the contest in the top of the second. Alec Bohm pounded a solo home run over the center-field fence on a 2-2 pitch. 

     After the Marlins picked up one run in the bottom of the third on an Aguilar double, they expanded their lead to 8-1 with four runs in the sixth inning. Miguel Rojas hit a two-run double into left field which scored Garrett Cooper and Jazz Chisholm. Chad Wallach followed with a two-run homer to center on a 1-0 count with Rojas aboard. 

Marlins Get By Phillies In First Game

     The Miami Marlins edged the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 on Sunday at Marlins Park. It was the first game of a doubleheader between both clubs that went seven innings.

     Philadelphia(23-21) raced out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Andrew Knapp knocked in Alec Bohm on a sacrifice fly to center field. 

     Miami (22-21) bounced back in the bottom of the third to take the lead 2-1. Corey Dickerson singled into right field and Jazz Chisholm scored. Starling Marte followed with a base hit to center which scored Jorge Alfaro. 

Dolphins Release Nate Brooks

     The Miami Dolphins have released defensive back Nate Brooks from their injured reserve list. He did receive an injury settlement from the club. 

     Brooks participated in three games last season with the Dolphins and started in two contests. He overachieved with 10 solo tackles in a short period of time. 

Phillies Outlast Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies outscored the Miami Marlins 12-6 at Marlins Park on Saturday night. It was the fourth contest of a seven-game series between both clubs. 

     Philadelphia(23-20) broke out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Didi Gregorius blasted a grand-slam homer to right field on a 0-2 pitch. Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto were able to score in front of Gregorius on the play. 

     The Phillies expanded their lead to 5-0 in the top of the third. Harper sliced a solo home run to left field on a full count. 

     Miami(21-21) settled in and scored three runs in the fourth inning. Brian Anderson belted a three-run homer on 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall with Jesus Aguilar and Matt Joyce aboard. 

     In the fifth inning, Philadelphia made it 6-3. Realmuto was able to score on a wild pitch from third. 

     The Marlins chipped at the lead during the sixth inning. Lewis Brinson doubled into left field which brought in Aguilar. 

     The Phils added another run in the top of the seventh to go ahead 7-4. Adam Haseley knocked in Jean Segura with a base hit to the right side. 

     The Fish matched it in the bottom of the frame. Corey Dickerson bunted for single and Garrett Cooper scored on a throwing error by Realmuto. 

     Philadelphia pulled away with five more runs in the eighth inning and led 12-5. Segura drove in Harper with a single into center field. Alec Bohm followed with a double to left and Gregorius crossed the plate. Two batters later, Kyle Garlick doubled into left field to bring home Bohm and Haseley. 

     Miami could get only one run in the bottom of the eighth. Aguilar powered a solo homer to left-center field on a 3-1 pitch. 

Inter Miami CF Lose To Orlando City SC

     Inter Miami CF fell to Orlando City SC 2-1 on Saturday night at Exploria Stadium. Inter Miami CF won their franchise home opener against Orlando City SC back on August 22. 

     Orlando City SC got a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute. Mauricio Pereyra made a cross from the left side on an indirect kick. Andres Reyes accidentally kicked the ball from eight yards out past his goalie for an own goal. 

     In the second half, Inter Miami CF evened the contest 1-1 during the 65th minute. Rodolfo Pizarro crossed the ball from the right side and Brek Shea was able to score on a head ball from 14 yards into the left side of the net. 

     The tie did not last long as Orlando City SC made it 2-1 in the 69th minute. Pereyra fired the ball off the left post and into the low left corner of the cage from 18 yards away.

Nick Bjugstad Traded To Minnesota Wild

     Former Florida Panthers player Nick Bjugstad has been traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has been acquired by the Minnesota Wild for a 2021 seventh-round pick. Bjugstad participated in high school hockey in Minnesota.

     Bjugstad was with the Florida Panthers for seven seasons. He compiled 87 goals and 104 assists for 191 points in 394 games. 

Marlins Take Second Game From Phillies

     The Miami Marlins were victorious over the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Friday night at Marlins Park. It was the second game of a doubleheader between both teams. The Marlins and Phillies have now played three games out of their seven-game series that will last five days. 

     Miami(21-20) was able to get three runs during the fourth inning against Philadelphia(22-20) to take a 4-1 lead. Isan Diaz, who returned in the first game of the doubleheader after opting out earlier this season, helped the Marlins with a base hit to left field which scored Brian Anderson. Jorge Alfaro later burned his former team with a two-run single into center field for Diaz and Miguel Rojas to score. 

Chaminade-Madonna Tops Champagnat Catholic

     High school football returned to South Florida on Friday night as the Chaminade-Madonna Lions got by the Champagnat Catholic Lions 27-14 at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood. It was a battle between two reigning FHSAA champions. Chaminade-Madonna has won the last three FHSAA Class 3A championships while Champagnat Catholic are the defending FHSAA Class 2A state champions. 

     Champagnat Catholic(0-1) scored at the 9:26 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Tyous Taylor threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to running back Donovan Jones on the right sideline. 

     Chaminade-Madonna(1-0) tied it up with 2:40 left in the first. Running back Thaddius Franklin recovered a fumbled snap and scored from one yard away. 

     In the second quarter, Chaminade-Madonna scored the only points. They added a touchdown when Franklin went up the middle untouched from four yards out to make it 14-7 with 28 seconds remaining in the first half. 

     Franklin compiled his third touchdown of the contest during the third quarter at 7:04. He rushed to the right side of the line on a six-yard score and gave them a 20-7 lead. 

     Champagnat Catholic was able to score on the final play of the third quarter and trailed 20-14. Jones raced around the left end and scored on a nine-yard touchdown. 

     Chaminade-Madonna would cap the scoring with 1:32 left in the final quarter. Franklin reached the end zone with a one-yard plunge for his fourth touchdown of the game and they led 27-14.

Bishop Verot Scrambles American Heritage

     The Bishop Verot Vikings made the long trip from Fort Myers and shut down the American Heritage Stallions 19-0 at The Corral in Delray Beach on Friday night. It was the Stallions first game under their former defensive coordinator and new head coach Brian Sheridan. Both teams look to contend for the FHSAA playoffs later this season. 

     Bishop Verot(1-1) drew first blood with 1:37 left in the first quarter. Deaglon Camron was able to kick a 23-yard field goal. 

     The Vikings expanded their lead to 10-0 at the 7:59 mark of the second quarter. Wide receiver Malik Curtis ran the ball into the end zone from 11 yards away. 

     It would not be fine for American Heritage(0-1) in the second half. The Vikings picked up a safety when linebacker Austin Redd sacked quarterback Dylan Rizk with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter and led 12-0. 

     Bishop Verot added another score with 6:19 left in the final quarter for a 19-0 lead. Quarterback Jacob Azizi sprinted down the field on a 71-yard touchdown run. 

Phillies Stomp Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies bashed the Miami Marlins 11-0 in a seven-inning contest at Marlins Park on Friday. It was the first game of a doubleheader between both clubs. 

     Philadelphia(22-19) compiled four runs in the third inning. Andrew McCutchen smacked a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch with Adam Haseley aboard. Jean Segura later doubled to left which scored Rhys Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto. 

     Miami(20-20) gave up another five runs in the top of the fourth and trailed 9-0. Haseley singled through the right side and Phil Gosselin reached home. McCutchen came up next and got a base hit into left-center field to score Alec Bohm. Hoskins then lifted a three-run homer over the left-field fence on a 1-2 count which brought in Haseley and McCuthen for a 9-0 lead. 

     The Phillies added two more runs in the fifth inning for an 11-run margin. Bohm lined a double down the left-field line that scored Didi Gregourius. Haseley followed with a double down the right-field line to score Bohm. 

South Florida High School Football Opens

     South Florida will see the beginning of the 2020 high school football season involving teams from five different counties. Most of the contests with involve private high schools who begin practices earlier than public schools initiated them. Martin County kicked off their season with a 40-7 victory over Fort Pierce Central on Thursday night. 

     The biggest game will occur in Hollywood. The defending three-time FHSAA Class 3A state champion Chaminade-Madonna Lions hosts the FHSAA Class 2A state champion Champagnat Catholic Lions. 

     Two other contests will happen in Fort Lauderdale. The Cardinal Newman Crusaders travel down from West Palm Beach and take on the Calvary Christian Eagles. Dade Christian leaves Miami-Dade County and challenges Westminster Academy. 

     Palm Beach County will have three games. American Heritage hosts Bishop Verot, Berean Christian visits Jupiter Christian and Lemon Bay faces King's Academy. 

     All high schools from Martin County will also be playing. Jensen Beach is at Treasure Coast while Sebastian River heads to South Fork. St. Lucie County will have Centennial at Fort Pierce Westwood and John Carroll at Port St. Lucie. 

Bernie Kosar Working Cleveland Radio

     Former University of Miami Hurricanes and Miami Dolphins quarterback Bernie Kosar will be working at a Cleveland radio station. He will be involved as a contributor and a podcast host at ESPN Cleveland WKNR-AM during the 2020 NFL season. 

     Kosar was the starting quarterback for the University of Miami when the school won their first national championship in 1983. He played for the Miami Dolphins from 1994 to 1996. 

     He was with the Cleveland Browns from 1985 until 1993 and helped them reach the AFC Championship game twice. Kosar was part of the Dallas Cowboys as a backup quarterback when they captured Super Bowl XXVIII over the Buffalo Bills. 

2020 NHL Draft And Free Agency Period

     The National Hockey League announced the dates of the 2020 NHL Draft and the start of the free agency period. Both events will happen following the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the 2019-20 NHL  season. 

     The first round of the NHL Draft will be held on October 6. The Panthers will have the 12th overall selection that night. The second round through the seventh round will occur on October 7. 

     The draft is expected to be handled in Secaucus, New Jersey on a conference call. The annual draft has been held at a National Hockey League arena with all hockey operations personnel in attendance from 1980 to 2019. 

     The free agency period will begin on October 9 at noon. Signing of players by all 31 NHL teams will be announced as of that day. 

Hurricanes Defeat UAB

     The Miami Hurricanes returned to the gridiron to begin the 2020 regular season and topped the UAB Blazers 31-14 at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday night. The delayed start for college football was due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Marlins Walk Off Victory Over Phillies

     The Miami Marlins downed the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 at Marlins Park on Thursday night. The Marlins got their first walk-off win this season. They compiled five of them back in 2019.

     It was the first contest of a seven-game series between both clubs. The Marlins also began their final home stand of the 2020 regular season. They will play 15 home games in the next 11 days. 

     The Phillies got on the scoreboard in the top of the first. J.T. Realmuto grounded out to short and Rhys Hoskins crossed the plate. 

     The Marlins matched it in the bottom of the first. Starling Marte doubled into left field for Corey Dickerson to score.

     Philadelphia(21-19) added two more runs to go up 3-1 in the second inning. Alec Bohm knocked in Andrew Knapp on a single to right. Bohm then scored on a base hit to left by Adam Haseley. 

     Miami(20-19) put up one run during the third inning. Dickerson was able to score on a sacrifice fly by Matt Joyce to center. 

     The Phils expanded their lead to 5-2. Bohm lined a single into left field to score Didi Gregorius. Haseley came up and drove in Jean Segura on a sacrifice bunt.

     The Fish put up a run in the bottom of the fourth. Jorge Alfaro hit a ground out to second which brought in Garrett Cooper.  

     In the fifth inning, the Phillies added another run to make it 6-3. Realmuto powered a solo home run to left-center field on a 0-2 pitch for his 11th homer of the season. 

     Miami came back in the eighth inning with three runs to tie the contest 6-6. The bases were loaded when Marte doubled into deep right field to score Cooper, Jazz Chisholm and Dickerson. 

     The Marlins picked up a walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth. Alfaro ripped a base hit up the middle for Monte Harrison to reach home. 

Champagnat Catholic At Chaminade-Madonna Preview

     The Champagnat Catholic challenge the Chaminade-Madonna Lions at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood on Friday night. It will be the first contest of regular season to be played in Broward County. The regular season had been pushed back throughout South Florida in 2020 due to coronavirus concerns. 

     Champagnat Catholic are the defending FHSAA Class 2A state champions and handled Victory Christian Academy in the 2019 state title contest. They have reached the state title game for four consecutive years and took the state championship in two of the past three seasons. 

     Chaminade-Madonna enters the game as the defending three-time FHSAA Class 3A state champions and most of their players on the team roster have captured a state title. The main emphasis on their offense will be running back Thaddius Franklin. He set FHSAA state title game records of 47 carries for 333 rushing yards against Florida State University High in Tallahassee last December. Franklin will get the majority of rushes for the Lions and can reach the end zone on any running play. 

Panthers Name Charlotte AHL Affiliate

     The Florida Panthers will have a new American Hockey League affiliate for the 2020-21 season. They have signed a multi-year deal to have their AHL team in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte Checkers won the AHL championship back in 2018-19. 

     The Panthers had Springfield, Massachusetts as their AHL affiliate for the past four seasons. The St. Louis Blues took over in Springfield  several months ago. 

Ryan Shazier Announces Retirement

     Former local high school football player Ryan Shazier announced his retirement from the National Football League on Wednesday. He spent his entire NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

     Shazier played high school football with the Plantation Colonels. He went on to attend Ohio State University and was drafted 15th overall in the first round during the 2014 NFL Draft by the Steelers. 

Inter Miami CF Hold Off Atlanta United FC

     Inter Miami CF breezed by Atlanta United FC 2-1 on Wednesday night at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The contest was a make-up game from August 26 when both teams protested prior to the start due to racial injustice. 

     Inter Miami CF took a 1-0 lead during the 28th minute. Roldofo Pizarro dribbled the ball through the middle of the field on a 3-on-2 breakaway and made a right-outlet pass. Lewis Morgan placed a right-footed shot from 15 yards away into the low left corner of the cage.

     Atlanta United FC evened up the game in the 33rd minute. Eric Remedi was on the ground when he kicked the ball in with his right foot from three yards out. 

     Morgan helped Inter Miami CF reclaim the lead 2-1 in the 38th minute on another Morgan tally. Atlanta United FC missed on a penalty kick in the 43rd minute. There was no scoring by either club in the second half. 

Braves Drill Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves pounded the Miami Marlins 29-9 at Truist Park on Wednesday night. The Marlins were unable to sweep the three-game series from the Braves. 

     Miami(19-19) moved out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Jorge Alfaro knocked in Garrett Cooper on a base hit to left. Jazz Chisholm came up next and tripled to deep center which scored Alfaro. 

     Atlanta(25-18) rumbled through in the bottom of the third with 11 runs to take a commanding lead. They got nine of those runs with two outs during the inning. It was capped by several round-trippers by the Braves. Travis d'Arnaud smashed a three-run homer to left-center field, Adam Duvall ripped a two-run homer to center field and Ozzie Albies connected on a home run to center. 

Aqib Qulib Retiring

     Aqib Qulib has decided to retire from the National Football League. He was acquired by the Miami Dolphins last October from the Los Angeles Rams, however he never suited up for a contest with Miami in 2019. 

     Qulib was best known for playing with the Denver Broncos from 2014 to 2017. He helped that club win Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers. 

Alexander Sulzer Retires

     Former Florida Panthers defenseman Alexander Sulzer has retired playing professional hockey. He left the National Hockey League after the 2013-14 season and moved to Germany. 

     Sulzer was acquired by the Panthers from the Nashville Predators on February 25, 2011. He only played nine games with Florida that season and compiled one assist.

Barrett News Media Hires Ryan Maguire

     Ryan Maguire has been named a consultant with Barrett News Media. He has been working at SpokenLayer as a producer since April. 

     Maguire was the program director at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM from May 2015 to February 2018. He then moved to Seattle and became the vice president of programming at KIRO-FM from March 2018 until August 2019.

     He had stints as a program director with other radio stations prior to arriving in Miami. They included WQSN-AM in Kalamazoo, WLBY-AM in Ann Arbor, WTKA-AM in Ann Arbor, WSSP-AM in Milwaukee, KCSP-AM in Kansas City and KDKA-FM in Pittsburgh. 

South Florida High School Football Update

      High school football programs throughout the South Florida region are getting prepared for the 2020 season. Teams in the area are starting later than other schools inside the state of Florida and taking precautions concerning the coronavirus. Top Broward County schools such as FHSAA Class 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas and Cardinal Gibbons finally began outdoor sessions on Tuesday. 

     The defending three-time FHSAA Class 3A state champion Chaminade-Madonna Lions will be one of few schools that will have their season opener on Friday. They will host the defending FHSAA Class 2A state champion Champagnat Catholic Lions at Vince Zappone Field in Hollywood. 

Marlins Mash Braves

     The Miami Marlins blanked the Atlanta Braves 8-0 at Truist Park on Tuesday night. The Marlins have won the three-game series against the Braves. 

     Miami(19-18) scored in the second inning to lead 1-0. Matt Joyce connected on a 2-2 pitch for a solo home run to right-center field. 

     It became 2-0 for the Fish in the top of the third. Jorge Alfaro smacked a solo homer to center field on a 1-2 count. 

     The Marlins extended their margin to five runs in the fourth inning. Garrett Cooper lifted a two-run homer to left-center field on a 1-0 pitch with Brian Anderson aboard. Alfaro later singled into left field and Jazz Chisholm crossed the plate. 

     Atlanta(24-18) surrendered another run in the top of the seventh. Cooper drove in Jesus Aguilar on a single into left field. The Marlins added two more runs in the ninth inning to make it 8-0. 

Heat Win Series Over Bucks

     The Miami Heat knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks 103-94 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday night at the Field House outside of Orlando. The Heat wrapped up the best-of-seven series 4-1 and will play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014. The Bucks had the best record in the National Basketball Association during the regular season. 

     Milwaukee jumped out to a 28-19 advantage after one quarter. Miami went on a 26-9 run to go ahead 46-37 with 4:36 left in the first half. The Heat were up 52-46 at halftime and 73-65 at the end of three quarters. The Bucks could not cut the deficit in the fourth quarter and trailed 97-88 with 46.7 seconds left.

     Jimmy Butler compiled a double-double for the Heat with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Goran Dragic added 17 points and Jae Crowder dropped in 16 points. Khris Middleton led Milwaukee with 23 points while Brook Lopez got a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick Named Starting Quarterback

     The Miami Dolphins have named Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starting quarterback for the start of the 2020 NFL season. Their first game will be on Sunday at New England against the AFC East champion Patriots. 

     He was able to beat out the Dolphins first-round draft pick Tua Tagovailoa for the spot. Fitzpatrick, who joined Miami last season, completed 311 passes for 3,529 yards and 20 touchdowns in 15 games. 

Antonio Callaway Signs With Miami Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins signed wide receiver Antonio Callaway to a deal. He played high school football with the Booker T. Washington Tornadoes and college football with the University of Florida. 

     He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft. Callaway just played four games last season and compiled eight catches for 89 yards. 

Marlins Survive Braves

     The Miami Marlins won in 10 innings over the Atlanta Braves 5-4 on Monday at Truist Park. Both clubs are contending for one of the eight National League postseason positions. 

Josh Rosen Signed By Tampa Bay

     Quarterback Josh Rosen has been signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He will be put on the practice squad by that club and will be on their organizational depth chart behind Tom Brady. 

     Rosen spent just one season with the Miami Dolphins after being acquired in a trade from the Arizona Cardinals. He made 58 pass completions for 567 yards and one touchdown in six games for Miami in 2019. 

Inter Miami CF Draws With Nashville SC

      Inter Miami CF played to a 0-0 tie against Nashville SC on Sunday night at Inter Miami CF Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. There was almost a two-hour weather delay that prevented the start of the contest. Both teams met on August 30 in Tennessee where Nashville SC was victorious. 

     It was the second home game played by Inter Miami CF in their short franchise history. They defeated Orlando City SC 3-2 in their home opener on August 22. 

Bucks Prevent Sweep By Heat

     The Milwaukee Bucks avoided a four-game sweep with a 118-115 overtime win over the Miami Heat in Game 4 on Sunday at AdventHealth Arena in Lake Buena Vista. The Heat, who lost their first postseason game, now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. Both teams will face each other on Tuesday night for Game 5. 

     Miami fired out to a 31-22 lead at the end of one quarter, however Milwaukee led 50-48 by halftime. The Heat reclaimed the lead 88-85 after three quarters and both clubs were tied at 107-107 at the end of the fourth. The Bucks moved ahead by four points 116-112 on a Khris Middleton three-point shot with 6.3 seconds left in overtime. 

     Bam Adebayo put together a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro dropped in 20 points while Jae Crowder knocked in 18 points. Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler both scored 17 points each. Middleton led the Bucks with a game-high 36 points along with eight assists and eight rebounds. Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to contribute 19 points in the victory. 

Rays Walk Off Marlins

     The Miami Marlins were passed by the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 in 10 innings at Tropicana Field on Sunday. The Marlins are now 1-2 in extra-inning contests during the 2020 regular season. The Fish remain in contention for a playoff spot in the National League while the Rays lead the American League East. 

     Miami(17-18) pushed ahead 2-0 in the first inning. Starling Marte blasted a two-run homer to center field on a 1-1 pitch with Corey Dickerson aboard. 

     Tampa Bay(28-13) picked up one run in the bottom of the frame. Randy Arozarena hit a solo home run to right-center field on 2-2 count. 

     In the third inning, the Marlins make it a two-run margin again. Jesus Aguilar drove in Dickerson with a single into right field. 

     The Rays made it 3-2 in the fifth inning. Hunter Renfroe belted a solo homer to right field on a 1-2 pitch. 

     It became a tie game 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Arozarena connected with his second home run of the game on a 2-1 count over the left-field fence. 

     The game went into extra innings and Miami would get one run in the top of the 10th. Matt Joyce singled into center field to score Lewis Brinson. 

      It was answered by the Rays in the bottom of the 10th. Ji-Man Choi knocked in Joey Wendle on a double to right field. They got the walk-off victory when Brandon Lowe got a sacrifice fly to deep center and pinch-runner Brett Phillips scored. 

Marlins Cool Down Rays

     The Miami Marlins defeated the Tampa Rays 7-3 at Tropicana Field on Saturday night. It was the first time that the Marlins beat the Rays this season following four losses in previous contests. 

     Miami(17-17) piled on four runs during the fourth inning and never looked back. Corey Dickerson burned his former team with a two-run homer to center field on a 0-1 pitch and capped the frame. 

     After being down 5-0, Tampa Bay(27-13) broke the shutout in the bottom of the fifth. Michael Perez doubled into right field and Yoshi Tsutsugo crossed the plate. 

Lynn Bowden Jr. Traded To Dolphins

     The Las Vegas Raiders have traded running back Lynn Bowden Jr. and a 2021 sixth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for a 2021 fourth-round pick. The fourth-round selection that the Raiders got was the same one that the Raiders traded to Miami last week for Raekwon McMillan. 

     Bowden Jr. will be entering his rookie year in the National Football League. He played college football with the University of Kentucky for three seasons. 

Dolphins Waive Josh Rosen

     The Miami Dolphins have placed quarterback Josh Rosen on waivers. Rosen has just two years of experience in the National Football League. The club has a slew of quarterbacks in their preseason training camp.

     Rosen, who played college football at UCLA, was acquired by the Dolphins in a trade from the Arizona Cardinals on April 26, 2019 for a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick. He had 58 pass completions for 567 yards and one touchdown in six games last season.

Miami Dolphins Waive More Players

     The Miami Dolphins have put 11 more players on the waiver wire. The team made more adjustments to get down to their roster limit for the 2020 NFL regular season. 

     Players placed on waivers include running back Salvon Ahmed, wide reciever Kirk Merritt, wide receiver Matt Cole, tight end Matt Wieting, tight end Chris Myarick, cornerback Ken Webster, defensive back Nate Brooks, cornerback Breon Borders, defensive tackle Brandin Bryant, offensive tackle Jonathan Hubbard and offensive guard Danny Isidora. 

Rays Get By Marlins

     The Tampa Bay Rays handled the Miami Marlins 5-4 at Tropicana Field on Friday night. The Rays have won all four games between both clubs this seasons. 

     Tampa Bay(27-12) took the lead 1-0 in the second inning. Yoshi Tsutsugo belted a solo home run to center field on 2-2 pitch. 

     Miami(16-17) bounced back in the top of the third. Corey Dickerson nailed a solo homer to left field on a 2-2 count. 

     The Marlins got in front during the fourth inning 2-1. Jesus Aguilar connected with a solo home run over the left-field wall on a 1-1 pitch. 

     The Rays loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame which resulted in several runs. Kevin Kiermaier walked for Joey Wendle to cross the plate. Michael Perez followed with a double into deep center field which scored Austin Meadows, Tsutsugo and Kiermaier for a 5-2 lead. 

      In the fifth inning, the Fish closed the gap to 5-4. Jon Berti hit at two-run double to the center-field warning track for Jorge Alfaro and Lewis Brinson to reach home.  

Heat Take Bucks

     The Miami Heat overcame and stopped the Milwaukee Bucks with a 115-100 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Friday night at the Field House in Lake Buena Vista. The Heat lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can wrap it up on Sunday. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit in 139 tries. 

     Milwaukee held a 30-29 advantage after one quarter and were up 57-50 at halftime. The Bucks went on a 15-4 spurt in the last four minutes of the third quarter and Miami trailed 87-75. The Heat pulled off a 16-2 run early in the fourth quarter to go up 96-93 with 5:48 left. They dominated and outscored Milwaukee 40-13 in the final quarter. 

     Jimmy Butler led Miami with a game-high 30 points while Bam Adebayo contributed a double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Jae Crowder dropped in 17 points and Goran Dragic added 15 points. Brook Lopez had a team-high 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 18 points for the Bucks. Giannis Antertokounmpo compiled 21 points along with 16 rebounds for a double-double. 

Jesus Tinoco Claimed By Rockies

     Miami Marlins pitcher Jesus Tinoco has been claimed off waivers by the Colorado Rockies. He was acquired by Miami from the Rockies for Josh Smith on August 14. 

     Tinoco pitched five innings in three games for the Marlins in the 2020 season. He did not allow a hit or a run during his time with the club. 

West Palm Beach Ratings August 2020

     The ratings were issued for sports format radio stations in the West Palm Beach market. The time span comprised of from the middle of July until the second week of August. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.2 for the third straight period. The New York Yankees Radio Network returned to their lineup as the 2020 Major League Baseball season started. Former South Florida on-air talent Rickie Ricardo filled in for John Sterling as the play-by-play announcer for one week. They also carried the Florida Panthers in their Stanley Cup Qualifier Series against the New York Islanders. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Zone WBZT-AM stayed at a 0.0 for the sixth consecutive month. The Miami Marlins returned for the opening weekend, disappeared for one week due to positive tests of the coronavirus to team personnel and came back with a great start for the season. 

Miami Dolphins Spanish Language Announcers

     The Miami Dolphins will be broadcast in Spanish again on Univision Deportes Radio 1140 WQBA-AM for the fourth straight season. The radio station has been the home of the Spanish-language Dolphins broadcasts throughout the 2010s with the exception of the 2016 season which was on 1210 WNMA-AM.

     Eduardo Martell will be the Miami Dolphins game analyst for the 29th season. Roly Martin enters his sixth season on the Dolphins Spanish broadcasts and the third straight year as the radio play-by-play announcer. 

Jason Taylor Miami Dolphins Radio Game Analyst

     The Miami Dolphins have named Jason Taylor as their new radio game analyst and replaces Bob Griese in the broadcast booth for regular season games. Taylor had announced preseason contests of the Miami Dolphins on radio since 2016. 

     He will be part of the Miami Dolphins Radio Network with play-by-play announcer Jimmy Cefalo, game analyst Joe Rose and sideline reporter Kim Bokamper. Griese will now be part of the pregame show. 

     Taylor had three stints as a defensive end for the Dolphins and played in the National Football League from 1997 to 2011. He had 139 1/2 sacks which is seventh on the all-time list in NFL history. Taylor was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. 

     He has been a radio game analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler on Sunday night NFL games at Westwood One Sports since 2017. Taylor has also worked as a defensive coach for the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders where they have won several FHSAA Class 7A state football championships. 

Houston Astros Release Fernando Rodney

     The Houston Astros released former Marlins relief pitcher Fernando Rodney. He had signed with the Astros as a free agent on July 31. Rodney recently helped the Washington Nationals win their first World Series title in franchise history last year. 

     He once was with the Miami Marlins in 2016 when he was acquired from the San Diego Padres for Chris Paddack. Rodney had a 2-3 record with eight saves in 39 games with Miami.