Marlins Blow Big Lead

     The Miami Marlins blew a seven-run lead and lost to the Washington Nationals at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Marlins extended their losing streak to six games. Both teams will face each other tomorrow to finish the four-game wraparound weekend series. 

     Miami(6-23) rocketed out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Fish added one more run in the second inning and had a seven-run cushion. 

     Washington(13-14) overtook the Fish by the middle of the game. The Nationals had five runs in the top of the fourth and four runs in the top of the fifth for a 9-7 lead. The Nats stayed in front for the rest of the contest. 

Inter Miami CF Routs New England

     Inter Miami CF stormed by the New England Revolution 4-1 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. It was the attended event ever in the 22-year history of the venue. The attendance for the Major League Soccer game was 65,612 and turned out to be the largest crowd ever for a soccer game at that venue. 

     Both teams were on the opposite sides of the Eastern Conference standings entering the game. Inter Miami CF was in first place while the Revolution were in last place. 

     New England(1-7-1) pulled off a rare occurrence in a soccer game and got a 1-0 lead in the opening minute of the contest. Tomas Chancalay was able to volley the ball over the Herons goalkeeper with a right-footed shot from 18 yards out just 37 seconds in. 

     Inter Miami CF(6-2-3) tied it up 1-1 during the 32nd minute. Lionel Messi put in a nine-yard shot with his left foot on a feed from Robert Taylor. Messi extended his MLS goal-scoring streak to six games. 

     In the second half, it became 2-1 for Inter Miami CF in the 68th minute. Messi fired a left-footed shot from eight yards away for his second goal of the game and league-leading ninth goal of the year. Sergio Busquets ended up with the assist on the tally. 

     Two more goals were added on by Inter Miami CF for a three-goal gap. Benjamin Cremaschi scored in the 83rd minute and then Luis Suarez followed in the 89th minute. Messi had the assists on both of those goals. 

Lightning Survive Panthers In Game 4

     The Tampa Bay Lightning escaped the Florida Panthers 6-3 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Amalie Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. The Cats came wrap up the series on Monday in Sunrise. 

     Tampa Bay struck first in a contest for the first time in the series with a power-play goal at 8:54 of the opening period. Brandon Hagel centered the puck from the right goal line and Brayden Point backhanded it from the top of the crease. Steven Stamkos fired a one-time slap shot from the low left circle for his fourth goal of the series and 100th career postseason point.  

     It became 2-0 for the Bolts on a shorthanded goal with 7:51 left in the first. Victor Hedman poked the puck away in his own zone and Hagel brought in down the left side of the neutral zone. Hagel snapped a shot by Sergei Bobrovsky from the high slot for his second tally of the postseason. 

     The Lightning increased it to a three-goal margin with 4:53 to go in the period during a 4-on-4 situation. Point carried the puck from around his own cage all the way to the Bolts blue line. He angled a pass to Nikita Kucherov and he returned the puck to him inside the Panthers blue line. Point skated through the right circle and then placed in a wraparound shot for his second goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hedman was credited with a secondary assist on the play. It was only the second time this season that the Panthers surrendered at least three goals in the first period.

     In the second period, Florida cut the deficit to 3-1 at the 4:17 mark. Anton Lundell cycled the puck from the left wing. Matthew Tkachuk centered it from behind the Lightning cage and Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the right of the crease for his third goal of the series. 

     The Bolts made it 4-1 on another 4-on-4 circumstance at 9:40. Hagel collected his second goal of the contest on a wrist shot.

     The Panthers closed it to 4-2 with 8:50 remaining in the second on a power-play goal. Tkachuk sent a pass from right circle and Sam Reinhart powered a one-time shot from the slot area which was saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Brandon Montour followed with a forehand shot from the left of the crease and it was stopped. Reinhart backhanded a shot from the crease area for his third goal of the postseason. 

     It became 4-3 with 5:27 to go in the period. Eetu Luostarinen pushed a lead pass from his own zone. Evan Rodgiues got to the right point and connected a cross-ice pass. Oliver Ekman-Larsson then released a snap shot from the high slot for the tally. It was the first postseason goal for Ekman-Larsson in four years.

     The Lightning expanded their lead to 5-3 at the 9:34 mark. Kucherov raced for the puck on the right wing and fed a pass from the right point. Stamkos took a wrist shot from above the left circle for his second goal of the game and fifth goal in the playoffs.

     The Bolts added a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 3:38 left in the third for a 6-3 advantage. Hedman angled a pass from the top of the zone and Kucherov passed from the right wing. Nick Paul had his first shot saved, but he flipped in a backhand shot from the blue paint. 

Celtics Steamroll Heat In Game 3

     The Boston Celtics rolled over the Miami Heat 104-84 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Kaseya Center on Saturday night. Boston has a 10-3 record in regular season and postseason games held in Miami since the beginning of the 2021-22 campaign. 

     The Celtics now are ahead in the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 will be held on Monday night in Miami. 

     Boston had a 12-3 surge to start the contest and led 21-12 at the end of low-scoring first quarter. The C's scored the first six points of the second quarter and had a 63-39 lead at halftime. 

     Miami kept pace early in the second half, however they were down 87-61 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Celtics had over a 20-point margin for almost the entire fourth quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo had a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro and Nikola Jovic were able to contribute15 points each. Jaime Jacquez Jr. scored 12 points in the defeat. 

     Jayson Tatum led Boston with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 22 points and eight rebounds in the victory. Kristaps Porzingis placed in 18 points and Derrick White drained in 16 points. 

Nationals Smash Marlins

     The Washington Nationals slammed the Miami Marlins 11-4 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Marlins, who now have a five-game losing streak, look to avoid a three-game series sweep by the Nationals on Sunday. 

     Miami(6-22) scooted out to a 1-0 in the bottom of the first in an unusual way. Nats starting pitcher Mitchell Parker threw a wild pitch for Luis Arraez to cross the plate. 

     Washington(12-14) tied it up 1-1 in a similar way during the top of the third. Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt was charged with a passed ball and Jacob Young scored. 

     The Nationals piled on five runs in the fifth inning for a 6-1 advantage. Young reached first on a fielder's choice for Eddie Rosario to beat the tag at home. Jesse Winker later smacked a grand-slam homer to right field which scored Nick Senzel, Young and C.J. Abrams. It was Winker's third home run of the 2024 season. 

Locals Go Late In NFL Draft

     It was the final day of the 2024 National Football League Draft on Saturday in Detroit. Several former South Florida high school football players were taken from the fourth round until the seventh round. 

     Only one local athlete went in the fourth round. Deerfield Beach Bucks and University of Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons at 109th overall. 

     In the fifth round, Carol City Chiefs and University of Louisville Cardinals defensive back Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was taken 146th overall by the Tennessee Titans. 

     Quarterback Jordan Travis was selected by the New York Jets with the 171st overall pick. He led the Benjamin Buccaneers while in high school. Travis played college football with the University of Louisville Cardinals and the Florida State University Seminoles. 

     Pahokee-born quarterback Joe Milton III was taken by the New England Patriots in the sixth round with the 193rd overall selection. He had stints in college football with the University of Michigan Wolverines and the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

     In the seventh round, Miramar Patriots defensive back Myles Harden was chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the 227th overall selection. He played college football with South Dakota. More local talent was announced when the Cincinnati Bengals took University of Miami Hurricanes center Matt Lee at 237th overall. 

     University of Miami Hurricanes safety James Williams was picked by the Tennessee Titans with the 242nd overall pick. He participated in high school football with American Heritage Patriots and won two FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2017 and 2020. 

     The Green Bay Packers were able to get Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt at 245. He played his first three years of high school football with the Boca Raton Bobcats and his senior year with the Deerfield Beach Bucks. 

     The San Francisco 49ers ended up with Miami Central Rockets linebacker Tatum Bethune at 251. He won a FHSAA Class 6A state title with them in 2015. Bethune spent time in college football with the University of Central Florida Knights and the Florida State University Seminoles. 

Dolphins Complete 2024 NFL Draft

     The Miami Dolphins finished up the 2024 NFL Draft held in Detroit on Saturday. Selections were made from the fourth round to the seventh round. 

     The Dolphins took University of Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright during the fourth round with the 120th overall pick. The Fins choose edge rusher Mohamed Kamara of Colorado State University in the fifth round. Miami decided on University of Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington and University of California safety Patrick McMorris during the sixth round. They selected USC wide receiver Tahj Washington in the seventh round.