Saturday, August 31, 2024

Yuli Gurriel Traded To Royals

     The Atlanta Braves have traded first baseman Yuli Gurriel to the Kansas City Royals. He has participated in the minors this year. 
     Gurriel played for the Miami Marlins during the 2023 season and helped the team reach the postseason. He compiled four home runs, 27 runs batted in and a .245 batting average in 108 games with the Fish. 

Giants Edged By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins held off the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Saturday night at Oracle Park. The Marlins have won five of their last 16 games. The Fish will finish a seven-game road trip on Sunday. 
     Miami(50-86) stormed out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Griffin Conine collected his first career home run in the majors. He socked a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall with Jonah Bride aboard. 
     San Francisco(68-69) cut it to 2-1 during the bottom of the fifth. Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to second for former Marlins Jerar Encarnacion to score. 
     The Marlins put it back to a two-run margin 3-1 in the top of the sixth. Connor Norby cracked a solo home run to left field on a full count for his fifth homer of the year. 
     The Giants answered in the bottom of the frame to make it 3-2. Tyler Fitzgerald drove in Matt Chapman with the base hit into left field. 
     In the seventh inning, the Fish increased it to 4-2. David Hensley grounded out to third and Otto Lopez crossed the plate. 
     San Francisco closed it to 4-3 in the eighth inning. Michael Conforto smashed a solo home run on the first pitch to center field for his 15th homer this season. 

Inter Miami CF Power By Chicago Fire FC

     Inter Miami CF easily took Chicago Fire FC 4-1 at Soldier Field on Saturday night. The Herons have the best record in Major League Soccer. Chicago has the second worst record in the Eastern Conference standings. 
     In the first half, Inter Miami CF(18-4-5) would get on the scoreboard first in the 25th minute. They ended up with an own goal by Tobias Salquist. 
     The Herons struck quickly at the beginning of the second half during the 46th minute. Luis Suarez placed in a 14-yard shot with his left foot. Suarez added another tally in the 65th minute as he tapped in a right-footed shot from six yards out to give Inter Miami CF a 3-0 lead. 
     Chicago Fire FC(6-13-8) broke the shutout to make it 3-1 in the 82nd minute. Georgios Koutsias redirected a left-footed shot from four yards. 
     Inter Miami CF picked up an insurance goal during stoppage time for a 4-1 advantage. Robert Taylor one-timed a right-footed shot from 13 yards away. 

Hurricanes Step By Gators

     The University of Miami Hurricanes opened up their 2024 season with a 41-17 victory over the University of Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday. Both schools had not faced each other since 2019. 
     It is their first meeting in Gainesville between both teams since 2008. The Gators lost their home opener for the first time since the 1989 campaign. 

Friday, August 30, 2024

Giants Jump By Marlins

     The San Francisco Giants came back on the Miami Marlins 3-1 at Oracle Park on Friday night. The Marlins, who have lost 11 of their past 15 contests, continued their seven-game road swing. 
     Miami(49-86) waited until the top of the seventh to take a 1-0 lead. David Hensley singled down the right-field line to score Derek Hill. 
     San Francisco(68-68) leaped over the Marlins in the bottom of the eighth with three runs for a 3-1 lead. Matt Chapman came up with the based loaded and knocked in Brett Wisely. Mike Yastrzemski and Heliot Ramos with a double into the left-center field gap. 

Atlantic Blasts Jonesboro

     The Atlantic Eagles pounded the Jonesboro Cardinals 53-13 at Atlantic Stadium in Delray Beach on Friday night. Jonesboro made the trip in from Georgia. 
     Atlantic(2-0) got out to a 6-0 advantage at the 8:58 mark of the first quarter. They scored when quarterback Lincoln Graf sneaked the ball up the middle from one yard. 
     Jonesboro(0-2) would take their only lead of the contest 7-6 with 5:18 to go in the opening quarter. Quarterback Jamon Jones tossed a screen pass to the right side and wide receiver Christian Smith raced in from 34 yards away. 
     The Eagles reclaimed the lead 13-7 with 1:21 remaining in the first. Running back Dylan Elie rushed thought the left side of the line on a 24-yard touchdown run. 
     In the second quarter, Atlantic expanded it to 20-7 in the first minute. Graf fired a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jones on the right hash marks. 
     The Cardinals closed it to 20-13 at 9:57 of the second. Wide receiver Jayden Howard caught a 20-yard pass in the middle of the field from Jones. 
     It would become 28-13 for the Eagles with 4:35 left in the quarter. Graf found wide receiver Teddy Hoffmann in the back of the end zone on a four-yard touchdown pass. 
     Atlantic scored once more before the end of the first half with 1:50 to go in the second. Graf threw a swing pass to the left side and Hoffmann sprinted down the left hash marks from 36 yards out for a 34-13 lead.
     In the second half, the Eagles made it 40-13 with 4:23 left in the third quarter. Running back Deandre Desinor went around the left end from two yards away.  Defensive back Shamar Scruggs intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown with no time remaining in the third for a 34-point margin. 

Dolphins Extend Mike McDaniel

     The Miami Dolphins have extended the contract of head coach through the 2028 season. He was hired by the team prior to the 2022 season. 
     McDaniel guided the Fins to two straight possession appearances for the first time since from 1997 to 2001. He currently has a 20-14 regular season record with the club. 

Omer Yuerseven Off To Europe

     Former Miami Heat center Omer Yurtseven will not play in the National Basketball Association this season. He has signed a contract with Greece basketball team Panathinaikos. 
     Yurtseven played two seasons with Miami in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He averaged 5.2 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game in 65 contests with the Heat. 

Thursday, August 29, 2024

West Boca Raton Handles Palm Beach Central

     The West Boca Raton Bulls defeated the Palm Beach Central Broncos 28-7 at Broncos Stadium on Thursday night. Both high school football teams participated in the postseason last year. 
     West Boca Raton(2-0) got out to a 7-0 lead at the 7:52 mark of the first quarter. Running back Jayden Lockhart scooted to the outside around the right end and scored from 16 yards away. 
     It became 14-0 for the Bulls with 5:19 remaining in the first. Quarterback Trey Moran faked a handoff and sprinted down the left side for a nine-yard touchdown run. 
     In the second quarter, West Boca Raton extended it to 21-0 in the last minute of the first half. Lockhart busted up the middle from one yard out for his second touchdown of the contest. 
     The Bulls made it 28-0 with 3:52 left in the third quarter. Quarterback Mason Mallory tossed a swing pass to the right side and wide receiver Jayden Elder raced in for a 17-yard touchdown. 
     Palm Beach Central(1-1) broke the shutout in the final minute of the third. Broncos quarterback Chance Routson threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Nedrick Boldin on the left side of the end zone. 

Amber Wilson & Jonathan Zaslow Reunite

     Former Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM on-air talent Amber Wilson and Jonathan Zaslow will reunite together on ESPN Radio with two new programs from college football locations beginning tomorrow. They will co-host Amber & Ian: On The Road with Rashad Jennings on Friday evenings. All three will co-host Saturday Morning CFB Tailgate during the Saturday midday shift. 
     Wilson and Zaslow once co-hosted mornings at 790 The Ticket along with Brendan Tobin and Brett Romberg from March 2016 to August 2019. Zaslow and Wilson were shifted to middays at that radio station and they stayed together until June 2021. 

Nick Cousins Joins Senators

     Former Florida Panthers forward Nick Cousins has joined the Ottawa Senators. He signed a one-year contract that was worth $800,000. 
     Cousins spent the past two seasons with the Florida Panthers and helped them capture a Stanley Cup title in 2023-24 along with two straight Eastern Conference championships. He compiled 16 goals and 26 assists for 42 points in 148 games with the Cats. 

Tyler Huntley Dropped By Browns

     Ex Broward County high school quarterback Tyler Huntley has been released by the Cleveland Browns. He joined the club back in March. 
     Huntley played high school football with the Hallandale Chargers in the mid-2010s. He then attended the University of Utah for college football.
     He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in May 2020. Huntley participated in 20 games with them over four seasons. 

Marlins Outslug Rockies

     The Miami Marlins outscored the Colorado Rockies 12-8 on Thursday at Coors Field. It was the final game of a four-game series. Miami(49-85) and Colorado(50-85) ended up splitting the series between both teams. 
     The Marlins will visit the San Francisco Giants on Friday. The Rockies will host the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow. 

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Michael Pratt Inks With Buccaneers

     Former South Florida high school football quarterback Michael Pratt has signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He will be assigned to their practice squad. 
     He was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Pratt was waived and then released by the club yesterday. 
     Pratt played his first three years of high school football with the Boca Raton Bobcats and his senior year with the Deerfield Beach Bucks. He played four seasons with the Tulane University Green Wave. He is best remembered for a 16-point, fourth-quarter comeback in the 2023 Cotton Bowl against the USC Trojans, who were led by new Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. 

Marlins Fall To Rockies

     The Miami Marlins lost to the Colorado Rockies 8-2 at Coors Field on Wednesday night. It was the third contest of a four-game series between the two teams with the worst National League records. 
     Both clubs scored in the second inning. Colorado(50-84) got a run in the bottom the of the third and Miami(48-85) matched it in the top of the fourth to tie it up 2-2. 
     The Rockies would score six unanswered runs through the rest of the game. They scored once in the fifth, three times in the sixth and twice in the eighth. 

Dalvin Cook Signs With Cowboys

     One-time Dade County high school football running back Dalvin Cook has signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys. He split his time last season with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens collecting 214 rushing yards. 
     Cook played with the Miami Central Rockets and captured two FHSAA Class 6A state championships in 2012 and 2013. He followed that with three seasons at Florida State University.
     He was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Cook spent six seasons with them where he compiled 1,282 carries for 5,993 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns. 

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Texans Cut C.J. Henderson

     The Houston Texans have released defensive back C.J. Henderson. He signed with that club back in March and did not make their 53-man roster for opening game. 
     Henderson participated in high school football with the Columbus Explorers and played three seasons with the University of Florida Gators. He was selected ninth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. 
     He got into 10 games in a two-season span with the Jaguars before being traded to the Carolina Panthers on September 27, 2021. Henderson played in 39 contests with the Panthers from 2021 to 2023. 

Gianni Infantino Moving To South Florida

     FIFA President Gianni Infantino will be based in South Florida for the next couple of years. He has held that position since February 2016. The South Florida region will host several contests for the 2026 World Cup, including the third-place game, at Hard Rock Stadium. 
     The FIFA have leased more office space in Coral Gables. It is unknown how much personnel will eventually work at that location. 

WPTV-TV & ESPN West Palm End Partnership

     WPTV-TV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach and ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM ended their partnership earlier this year. Both E.W. Scripps Company and Good Karma Brands had a working and branding agreement between their sports departments. 
     It was seen on sportscasts over the past 14 years with on-screen graphics and microphone flags of both companies. The partnership goes back to January 2010 when Good Karma only owned just ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM locally. 
     On-air talent would appear on WPTV-TV and ESPN West Palm broadcasts. Many people who did that were Ben Becker, Ryan Lieber, Evan Cohen, Jason Pugh, Emerson Lotzia, Joe Girvan, Keli Ferguson, Ian Hest, Theo Dorsey, Tyree Smith, Ken LaVicka, Brian Rowitz and Herb Uzzi. 

Phillip Dorsett Released By Broncos

     Former local high school and college wide receiver Phillip Dorsett has been released by the Denver Broncos. He played in just two games last season with them and had no pass receptions. 
     Dorsett participated with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in high school football. He captured three FHSAA state championships in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Dorsett then played college football with the University of Miami Hurricanes. 
      He had stints in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. He won Super Bowl LIII with the Patriot

Marlins Cover Rockies

     The Miami Marlins pulled off a shocking ninth-inning comeback over the Colorado Rockies 9-8 on Tuesday night at Coors Field. The Marlins have been victorious in three of their last 12 games. 
     Marlins pitcher Mike Baumann played for his fifth team in the majors this year when he entered the contest in the sixth inning. He tied a Major League Baseball record set by Oliver Drake back in 2018. 
     Colorado(49-84) rocketed out to the lead during the first inning with four runs. They added two more runs in the bottom of the second and led 6-0. 
     Miami(48-84) would chip away at the six-run margin. The Fish collected one run in the third, one run in the fourth and two runs in the sixth to trail 6-4. The Rockies bounced back two runs in the bottom of the sixth for an 8-4 advantage. 
     The Marlins shockingly scored five runs in the ninth inning to take a 9-8 lead. Jesus Sanchez capped the rally with a three-run homer to right-center field on the first pitch with Connor Norby and Derek Hill aboard. It was the 17th home run for Sanchez in the 2024 campaign. 

Monday, August 26, 2024

Rockies Roll By Marlins

     The Colorado Rockies got by the Miami Marlins 3-2 at Coors Field on Monday. Griffin Conine, son of Mr. Marlin Jeff Conine, made his Major League Baseball in the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter and struck out. They became the second father-son combination besides David Weathers and Ryan Weathers in Marlins franchise history. 
     The Marlins began a four-game set in Denver along with an overall seven-game road trip. Both clubs entered the game with the two worst records in the National League. 
     Miami(47-84) struck with two runs in the top of the fifth for a 2-0 advantage. Jesus Sanchez knocked in Nick Fortes and Connor Norby with a base hit into left field. 
     Colorado(49-83) answered back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up 2-2. Aaron Schunk grounded out to second which scored Sam Hilliard. Jake Cave then singled into center field and Jordan Beck scored. 
     In the sixth inning, the Rockies took a 3-2 lead with one run. Ryan McMahon smacked a solo home run to center field on a 3-2 pitch for his 17th homer of the season.  

ESPN West Palm Changes Weekday Lineup

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will made several changes to their weekday lineup beginning on September 3. The radio station will have four consecutive hours of local programming. 
     Colin Russo and Michael Rizzo will be in afternoon drive with the show Russo & Rizzo from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Russo, who is the son of national sports radio host Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, debuted as the high school football studio host back on August 16. He will also host an NFL pregame show at ESPN West Palm starting on September 8. 
     Rizzo is the son of Cleveland sports talk host Tony Rizzo and grandson of Cleveland sportscaster Jack Reynolds. He recently co-hosted afternoons at WZPN-FM in Peoria and was an intern at WKNR-FM in Cleveland previous to that. 
     Theoretically Speaking with Theo Dorsey and Christian Katt will be exiting the 5 p.m. hour. Their show will expand to two hours and air from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ESPN West Palm launched that program back on April 8.

Dolphins Release Mike White

     The Miami Dolphins have released quarterback Mike White. The Fins will have Tua Tagavailoa and Skyler Thompson on their depth chart for quarterback. 
     White was the backup quarterback for the team in 2023. He had five pass completions for 74 yards and one touchdown in six games last season. White previously played for the New York Jets in 2021 and 2022. 

Sunday, August 25, 2024

Mike Baumann Headed To Marlins

     The Miami Marlins have claimed pitcher Mike Baumann off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. He was designated for assignment by the Angels last week. 
     Baumann would tie a Major League Baseball record playing for his fifth team this season should he be on the Marlins MLB roster. He would equal pitcher Oliver Drake who participated with five clubs back in 2018. Baumann spent time with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels. 

Marlins Topple Cubs

     The Miami Marlins handled the Chicago Cubs 7-2 at loanDepot park. The Cubs looked to sweep the Marlins in the three-game series on Sunday. 
     Miami(47-83) finished up a six-game homestand and will face the Colorado Rockies in Denver tomorrow. Chicago(65-66) visits the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. 

Saturday, August 24, 2024

St. John Bosco Steps By Chaminade-Madonna

     The St. John Bosco Braves outdueled the Chaminade-Madonna Lions 34-27 at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. It was the second contest of a doubleheader broadcast on ESPN involving some of the top high school football programs in the United States. 
     St. John Bosco(1-0) took a 7-0 lead at the 6:30 mark of the first quarter. Quarterback Matai Fuiava completed a five-yard swing pass to wide receiver Carson Clark on the right side.  
     The Lions got on the scoreboard at 9:39 in the second quarter which made it 7-3. Noah Sidan booted a 26-yard field goal. 
     Chaminade-Madonna(0-1) scored on their next possession and took a 13-10 lead with 7:12 to go. Quarterback Tyler Chance connected a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jason Lopez on the left hash marks. 
     The Braves moved in front 13-10 with 3:59 remaining in the second. Fuiava faked a handoff and rushed through the left side of the line from 11 yards out. 
     It became 17-13 for Chaminade-Madonna with 2:29 left in the quarter. Wide receiver Koby Howard caught a 14-yard pass in the back left corner of the end zone from Chance. 
     St. John Bosco reclaimed the lead 20-17 with 13 seconds left in the first half. Fuiava released a nine-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Daniel Odom on the left side of the end zone. 
     In the second half, the Lions scored on their first possession at the 9:04 mark of the third quarter and led 24-20. Chance fired a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Denairius Gray on the front right corner of the end zone. Sidan would kick a 22-yard field goal with 4:13 to go in the third for a seven-point margin. 
     The Braves evened it up 27-27 with 34 seconds left in the third. Running back Ashton Keyes busted up the middle from three yards out. 
     In the fourth quarter, St. John Bosco pulled ahead 34-27 with 4:39 remaining. Running back Maliq Blackwell-Allen carried the ball from the backfield down the right sideline and raced in from 71 yards away.

Inter Miami CF Pay Back FC Cincinnati

     Inter Miami CF got revenge on FC Cincinnati 2-0 at Chase Stadium on Saturday night. The top two clubs in the Eastern Conference standings faced each other. 
     It was the Herons first Major League Soccer regular season game since July 20. The last time both these teams met, FC Cincinnati(15-8-3) gave Inter Miami CF their worst defeat of the 2024 MLS campaign by the score of 6-1 on July 6. 
     In the first half, Inter Miami CF(17-4-5) shocked everyone by getting out in front 1-0 in the first minute of play. Luis Suarez blasted a 10-yard shot with his right foot just 30 seconds into the contest.  
     The Herons quickly had a 2-0 lead at the six-minute mark. Suarez placed in a right-footed shot from 14 yards away. 

Bishop Gorman Stops St. Thomas Aquinas

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders lost to the Bishop Gorman Gaels 29-21 on Saturday at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale. The Raiders are looking to capture their sixth consecutive FHSAA state championship this year. The Gaels travelled across the country from Las Vegas. 
     St. Thomas Aquinas(0-1) broke out to a 7-0 lead with 5:24 left in the first quarter. Running back Jerry DeRosier busted up the middle on a two-yard touchdown run. 
     Bishop Gorman(1-0) answered back on their next possession to tie it up 7-7 with 3:36 to go in the first. Quarterback Melvin Spicer threw a 41-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Derek Meadows on the front middle of the end zone. 
     The Raiders reclaimed the 14-7 at the 8:47 mark of the second quarter. Quarterback Andrew Inhorf tossed a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Ah'Mari Stevens on the right side of the end zone.
     The Gaels closed it to 14-10 with 17 seconds remaining in the first half. Hudson Borsari booted a 28-yard field goal.
     STA extended it to an 11-point margin 21-10 with 4:48 to go in the third quarter. Wide receiver Julius Jones caught a long touchdown pass from Inhorf. 
     Bishop Gorman responded on their next drive. Spicer found wide receiver Kaina Watson down the field for a score with 2:52 remaining in the third. They added a field goal at the 10:05 mark of the fourth quarter and were down 21-20. 
     The Gaels took a 26-21 lead with 6:44 left in the fourth. Running back Terrance Grant ended up with a three-yard touchdown run, however they did not make the two-point conversion. Bishop Gorman added a late field goal in the final quarter and led 29-21. 

Harold Ramirez Signs With Braves

     The Atlanta Braves have signed outfielder Harold Ramirez to a minor league contract. He will report to their Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. Ramirez has played in the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Washington Nationals in 2024. 
     Ramirez was with the Miami Marlins for two seasons in 2019 and 2020. He participated in 122 contests and had 11 home runs along with 51 runs batted in and a .274 batting average. 

Cubs Pile On Marlins

     The Chicago Cubs blew by the Miami Marlins 14-2 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Marlins will complete their six-game homestand tomorrow. 
     Chicago(65-65) scooted out to a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first. Seiya Suzuki powered a solo home run to center field on the first pitch for his 17th homer of the campaign. 
     In the third inning, the Cubs extended their lead to 3-0. Suzuki blasted a two-run homer to left-center field on a 3-1 count with Michael Busch aboard. It was Suzuki's second homer of the contest and 18th home run of the year. 
     Miami(46-83) was down 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth. Connor Norby smacked a solo homer on a 1-0 pitch to center field. Norby collected his first home run in a Marlins uniform. 
     The Cubbies added four more runs during the top of the fifth for a 7-1 lead. Pete Crow-Armstrong crushed a two-run homer to right field on a 0-0 pitch with Dansby Swanson on base. Crow-Armstong homered for the second straight game following an inside-the-ballpark home run yesterday. Three batters later, Busch had an infield hit to score Miguel Amaya and Ian Happ. 
     The Marlins got one run in the bottom of the frame and trailed 7-2. David Hensley lifted a solo home run to right-center field on 1-0 count for his first homer this year. 
     Chicago compiled three more runs in the seventh inning. They added two additional runs in the top of the eighth and two runs in the ninth for a commanding 14-2 lead. 

Friday, August 23, 2024

Atlantic Smashes Palm Beach Gardens

     The Atlantic Eagles pounded the Palm Beach Gardens Gators 42-3 on Friday night at Atlantic Stadium in Delray Beach. Both teams have consistently appeared in the FHSAA Playoffs over the past 20 years. 
     Atlantic(1-0) found the end zone numerous times during the first half and led 29-3 at halftime. The field goal would be the only points by Palm Beach Gardens(0-1) in the game.
     The Eagles added two more touchdowns in the second half. Quarterback Lincoln Graf fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Legend Felican on the right sideline in the middle of the third quarter. Several minutes later, running back Dylan Elie rambled up the middle on a run from five yards away. 

Buccaneers Beat Dolphins

     The Miami Dolphins lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-14 on Friday night at Raymond James Stadium. It was final preseason game for both clubs. 

Cubs Carve Marlins

     The Chicago Cubs pulled by the Miami Marlins 6-3 at loanDepot park on Friday night. The Marlins will finish the 2024 regular season with a losing record due to their loss tonight. 
     Miami(46-82) got out to the lead in the bottom of the second 1-0 and were tied with the Cubs 3-3 at the end of five innings. Chicago(64-65) chalked up one run in the top of the eighth and two runs during the top of the ninth for a 6-3 advantage. 

Milton Drops American Heritage

     The American Heritage Patriots fell to the Milton Eagles 37-28 at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale on Friday night. It was a nationally televised contest on ESPN. 
     American Heritage(0-1) broke out to a 3-0 lead on their first possession. Gavin Harvey booted a 34-yard field goal with 6:02 to go in the first quarter. 
     Milton(1-0) leaped over for a 7-3 lead with 2:21 left in the first. Running back T.J. Lester rushed around the right end from two yard away. 
     The Patriots made it 7-6 at the 10:32 mark of the second quarter. Harvey was able to make a 36-yard field goal. On their next possession, Harvey added a 24-yard field to give the Pats a 9-7 lead with 8:38 to go in the second. 
     The Eagles retook the lead 13-7 with 4:28 remaining in the second. Quarterback Luke Nickel connected a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tristen Payne on the right side of the end zone. 
     American Heritage moved in front 16-13 with 1:20 left in the first half. Wide receiver Malachi Toney caught a 21-yard touchdown pass on the right sideline from quarterback Dia Bell. 
     Milton struck again with 29 seconds to go in the second quarter to make it 20-16. Lester raced around the left end and scored from seven yards out for his second touchdown of the game. 
     In the second half, the Braves scored on their first drive and extended their lead to 27-16 at the 9:09 mark of the third quarter. Wide receiver Ethan Barbour ran out of a wildcat formation two yards through the right side of the line for the score. 
     The Pats bounced back quickly and cut the deficit to 27-22 with 8:29 remaining in the third. Running back Byron Louis sprinted up the middle of the field on a 69-yard touchdown run.  
     It became 30-22 for Milton with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Alex Nover was able to kick a 23-yard field. 
     In the fourth quarter, American Heritage made it 30-28 with 3:24 to go. Bell fired a seven-yard pass to Toney in the back right corner of the end zone. They failed on the two-point conversion run to tie the game. 
     The Braves expanded their lead to 37-28 with 2:56 remaining. Nickel tossed a swing pass to the right side and Barbour raced in from 72 yards away. 

John DeCandido Rejoins WGH-AM

     Former Miami sports talk radio host John DeCandido will be returning to WGH-AM in Norfolk as a morning host beginning on September 3. It will be his third stint at that organization  
     DeCandido began his broadcasting career in the mid-1990s as a producer at WGH. He was later elevated to morning show host at that radio station. DeCandido then was an on-air talent at Sportsfan Radio Network out of Las Vegas in the late 1990s. 
     He moved to the South Florida area in September 1999. He held the roles of sports director and midday co-host at 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM in Miami. It was flipped from a sports talk format in December 2000.
     DeCandido would return back to Virginia as a weekend host at WGH-AM. He then joined WXTG-AM and WXTG-FM in 2009 as a producer, Saturday midday co-host and Monday evening co-host. DeCandido was promoted to The 757 Club afternoon co-host position in June 2010 and his program was shifted to mornings in March 2013. The radio station released all their local talk hosts in July 2013. 

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Steve Diener Elevated

     Steve Diener has been named the new morning show co-host at 850 WFTL-AM. He is being elevated from the morning show producer and will co-host the South Florida Morning Show with Jennifer Ross beginning on August 27. 
     Diener is currently the assistant program director at sister-station Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM. It is unknown if he will continue with his five-minute sports commentaries A Dose Of Diener at 12:55 p.m. that he had done since February 2020. 
     He started at WMEN as a producer and weekend co-host of a professional wrestling show with DJ Flash. He also held roles as a sports anchor and website writer. 
     Diener became the mid-afternoon weekday sidekick of Kevin's Other Show alongside Kevin Rolston from February 2018 until September 2018. The program returned as a Monday afternoon show from October 2018 to the end of December 2018. 
     He later co-hosted the Out Of Bounds Podcast with Ricky Bobby from January 2019 to late March 2019. Diener worked as the afternoon show host and the lead-in to New York Yankees game broadcasts from April 2019 to October 2019. He added duties as Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM assistant program director in March 2022. 

Miami Northwestern Bashes Coconut Creek

     The Miami Northwestern Bulls walloped the Coconut Creek Cougars 45-0 on Thursday night in Broward County. It was the opening game of the season for both teams.  
     Miami Northwestern(1-0) moved out to 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Bulls added a field goal at the 7:20 mark followed by another touchdown with 2:30 left and led 24-0. 
     Coconut Creek(0-1) got further behind late in the first half. Miami Northwestern reached the end zone again with 49 seconds remaining in the second for a 31-0 halftime advantage. 
     In the second half, the Bulls scored a touchdown to make it a 38-point margin. A running clock was implemented for the remainder of the game. 

West Boca Raton Stuffs Benjamin

     The 2024 high school football regular season began in Palm Beach County on Thursday night as the West Boca Raton Bulls overcome the Benjamin Buccaneers 14-13 in Boca Raton. Both high schools reached the FHSAA Playoffs last year. 
     Benjamin(0-1) had a handle during the first half of play. Running back Phoenix Doughia scored on a 45-yard run when he sprinted up the middle with 43 seconds to go in the first quarter. Doughia later got into the end zone untouched from 11 yards away at the 4:00 mark of the second quarter for a 13-0 lead. 
     West Boca Raton(1-0) got on the scoreboard with 1:20 remaining in the third quarter and closed it to 13-7. Running back Javian Mallory raced in from four yards out through the left side of the line. 
     The Bulls got their first lead of the contest 14-13 with 2:19 left in the fourth quarter. Mallory rushed around the left end for the touchdown from five yards. 

Monarch Survives Peachtree Ridge

     The Monarch Knights outdueled the Peachtree Ridge Lions 30-29 on Thursday night. It was the first regular season high school football game to be played in Broward this season. The Lions made the long trip from Suwanee, Georgia. 
     Peachtree Ridge(0-1) started out stronger than expected. The Lions had 15 points in the first quarter and seven points in the second quarter for a 22-0 lead by halftime. 
     Monarch(1-0) would score the next two touchdowns during the second half to tie it up 22-22. Peachtree Ridge reclaimed the lead 29-28 in the fourth quarter. The Knights answered back with a touchdown along with a two-point conversion for their only lead of the contest 30-29. 

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Orioles Get Emmanuel Rivera

     The Baltimore Orioles have claimed infielder Emmanuel Rivera off waivers from the Miami Marlins. The Fish designated Rivera for assignment several days ago. 
     Rivera was acquired by the Marlins from the Arizona Diamondbacks back on April 2. He had one home run, 15 runs batted in and a .214 batting average in 96 games with Miami this season. 

Former Locals On College Football Broadcasts

     ESPN announced their list of college football television broadcasting crews for the 2024 season. One of them turned out to be Jorge Sedano as a play-by-play announcer along with Orlando Franklin as a game analyst. Morgan Uber will work as their sideline reporter for the broadcasts. 
     Sedano had Miami radio stints with 1700 The Fan WAFN-AM, Fox Sports Radio 940 WRFX-AM, News Radio 610 WIOD-AM, Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM and Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. He did television work at WFOR-TV Channel 4 and Sun Sports. Sedano hosted a nationally syndicated show on ESPN Radio. He has been employed as a sports talk host at KSPN-AM in Los Angeles since September 2016. 
     Franklin played high school football with the Atlantic Eagles in Palm Beach County. He later participated with the University of Miami Hurricanes in college football. Franklin spent the majority of his NFL career with the Denver Broncos. He had two stints as a sports talk host at KKFN-FM in Denver.

Diamondbacks Sweep Marlins

     The Arizona Diamondbacks took down the Miami Marlins 10-8 at loanDepot park on Wednesday night. Arizona(72-56) swept the three-game series and visit the Boston Red Sox on Friday. 
     Miami(46-81) have lost six of their last seven contests and will not have a winning season in 2024. The Marlins have tomorrow off and host the Chicago Cubs this weekend. 

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Diamondbacks Down Marlins

     The Arizona Diamondbacks pushed by the Miami Marlins 3-1 on Tuesday night at loanDepot park. The Diamondbacks look to sweep the Marlins in the three-game series tomorrow. 
     Arizona(71-56) scored in the of the first and led 1-0. Joc Pederson singled up the middle to score Corbin Carroll. 
     It became 2-0 for the Diamondbacks in the top of the fifth. Carroll sliced a solo home run on a 0-1 pitch to left field for his 14th homer of the season. It was Carroll's fifth home run in the last 10 games. 
     Miami(46-80) cut it to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Xavier Edwards knocked in Cristian Pache with a base hit into right field. 
     In the sixth inning, Arizona moved ahead 3-1. Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. smacked a solo homer to left field for his 15th home run of the campaign. 

Monday, August 19, 2024

Sports Talk 790 The Ticket 20th Anniversary

     This month marks the 20th anniversary of the beginning of Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM. The radio station flipped from a brokered format to an all-sports format in August 2004 to compete against Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. It would remain a sports format for 18 years until October 2022. 
     Their primary program when The Ticket debuted was the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, a.k.a. Jon Weiner, in afternoon drive. Marc Hochman was the original producer of the show. Other personnel later added to the show's staff over the next 15 years on WAXY included Allyson Turner, Mike Ryan, Roy Bellamy, Greg Cote, Billy Gil and Chris Cote. 
     Le Batard and Stugotz showed their dominance in afternoons against WQAM, who used 15 different afternoon hosts against them from August 2004 to September 2015. The program was in the midday slot on The Ticket from September 2015 until August 2019 and then moved to their eventual sister-station WQAM. 
     The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz became nationally syndicated by ESPN Radio in September 2013. Their tenure at ESPN would last until January 2021. 
     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket introduced their inaugural lineup in August 2004. Their on-air personnel were Joe Rose, Jon Sciambi, Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Craig Minervini, Steve Brancik, Toast, Phil Schoen and Steve Goldstein along with producers Zach Krantz, Jonathan Zaslow, Marc Hochman and Andy King. 
     They would expand their on-air roster with other additions over the next 18 years. They included Sid Rosenberg, Larry Milian, Alan Stauss, Jorge Sedano, Kevin Rogers, Alex Donno, Josh Friedman, Brandon Guzio, Jesse Agler, Steve White, Brian London, Jeff Fox, Ed Freeman, Marc Hochman, Jonathan Zaslow, Joy Taylor, Brendan Tobin, Brett Romberg, Amber Wilson, Ethan Skolnick, Chris Wittyngham, Chris Perkins, Israel Gutierrez, Jason Jackson, Craig Mish, Rich Herrera, Jeff DeForrest, Jim Grieshaber, Greg Likens, Zach Duarte, Trevor Murray, Channing Crowder, Leroy Hoard, Eric Reed, Jeremy Marks-Peltz, Barry Jackson and Jason Solodkin.  
     The success of the radio station resulted in the first South Florida FM band sports format radio station as 104.3 The Ticket in August 2012. It was a simulcast of Sports Talk 790 The Ticket. 104.3 The Ticket flipped to an alternative rock format in August 2015. 
     The Ticket increased their scope in the region with radio play-by-play broadcasts. They took away the Miami Dolphins radio rights from WQAM and had the contests in 2005 and 2006. They aired Florida Marlins/Miami Marlins games from 2008 to 2013. 
     They picked up the Miami Heat radio rights in October 2010 and held them until the end of the 2021-22 season. The radio station did broadcast two NBA championship teams in 2012 and 2013 along with five NBA Finals.
     Sports Talk 790 The Ticket was the home of the Florida Panthers from the 2007-08 campaign until the 2009-10 season. They also aired FIU football games for several years and held the radio rights of Inter Miami CF contests in 2022. 

Diamondbacks Slam Marlins

     The Arizona Diamondbacks knocked off the Miami Marlins 9-6 at loanDepot park on Monday night. The Marlins begin a six-game homestand after going 2-3 on their road trip. The Diamondbacks played over the weekend across the state versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Marlins infielder Connor Norby made his team debut. 
     Arizona(70-56) rocketed out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third. Adrian Del Castillo walloped a grand-slam homer to center field on a 3-1 pitch for his third home run of the year. Jake McCarthy, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Pavin Smith scored in front of him on the play.
     Miami(46-79) chipped away at a five-run margin and scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 5-4. The Diamondbacks extended their lead with two runs in the seventh inning and two runs in the eighth inning for a 9-4 advantage. 

Sunday, August 18, 2024

2024 HIgh School Football Radio Broadcasts

     It is the start of the 2024 season for high school football throughout South Florida. The regular season will begin later on this week. 
     There is just one South Florida radio station in the tri-county area that will have high school football game broadcasts in 2024. This situation will happen locally for the 10th consecutive year. There was at one time five different radio stations in the South Florida region that did broadcast a game back in 2011. 
     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will broadcast a weekly high school football contest for the 15th consecutive season. Christian Katt shifts from studio host to radio play-by-play announcer this year. 
     Jimmie Bell is back in the broadcast booth as the game analyst. He has held the position since the 2014 season when he replaced Chris Kokell. 
     Colin Russo is the new studio host on high school football game broadcasts. He made his on-air debut at ESPN West Palm on August 16. 
     Their game broadcasts will have live on-site game reports. Personnel being used includes ESPN West Palm afternoon co-host Theo Dorsey along with Good Karma Brands wrestling podcast co-host Brian Rowitz. 
     Some South Florida high school football games will be streamed on the internet by several different websites. It can range from individual high schools, such as Cardinal Gibbons and Columbus, to website companies like NFHS Network and TODA. 
     There is one radio station on the outskirts of the South Florida tri-county area that will broadcast high school football games. WAFC-AM 590 in Clewiston will continue their long run over the last several decades of announcing the Clewiston Tigers from Hendry County. 

Marlins Avoid Sweep To Mets

     The New York Mets could not sweep the three-game series against the Miami Marlins and lost 3-2 at Citi Field on Sunday. The Marlins, who snapped a three-game losing streak, ended up their five-game road trip with a 2-3 record. 
     The Fish will return home to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. The Mets will continue their nine-game homestand and host the Baltimore Orioles. 
     Miami(46-78) garnered one run in the top of the third for a 1-0 lead. Nick Fortes hit a sacrifice fly into center field to score Otto Lopez. 
     New York(64-60) evened it up 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Francisco Lindor singled into left field and Jesse Winker reached home. 
     In the sixth inning, the Mets moved ahead 2-1 for their first lead of the contest. Brandon Nimmo belted a solo home run to right-center field on 0-1 pitch for his 18th homer of the season. 
     The Marlins pulled off the comeback in the late innings. Derek Hill scored on a wild pitch thrown by Mets pitcher Huascar Brazoban in the top of the seventh. Miami took a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning. Hill knocked in Jonah Bride on a base hit into left-center field.  

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Dolphins Slip By Commanders

     The Miami Dolphins edged the Washington Commanders 13-6 on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium. The Fins will play their final preseason game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday. 
     Miami got the only touchdown in the contest on their first possession of the first quarter with 4:16 left. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa connected a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver River Cracraft. 
     Both teams exchanged field goals early in the second quarter. Washington closed it to 10-6 with 19 seconds remaining in the first half on a 38-yard field goal by Riley Patterson. 
     The Dolphins would pick up the only points throughout the entire second half. The Fins made it 13-6 when Jason Sanders booted a 33-yard field goal at the 10:02 mark of the third quarter. 
     The Commanders had one final opportunity to even it up in the final seven seconds of the fourth. A pass on a slant pattern to the wide receiver was not caught and Washington turned the ball over on downs. 

Homestead Holds Down Cardinal Newman

     The Homestead Broncos picked apart the Cardinal Newman Crusaders 22-0 in a kickoff classic on Saturday at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. Both teams look to go deep into the FHSAA Playoffs this year. 
     Homestead was a FHSAA Class 3M state finalist for the last two seasons. They got out to a 6-0 lead on a long touchdown run with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter. 
     The Broncos made it 12-0 with 5:44 to go in the second quarter. Quarterback Malachi Lewis fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malik Penson on the left hash marks. 
     It became 19-0 for Homestead at the 9:48 mark of the third quarter. Running back Cecil Smith went around the left end from one yard away. They later added a field goal during the fourth quarter. 
     Cardinal Newman will revisit Dade County for their season opener and face the Monsignor Pace Spartans. The Broncos travel to the Miami Palmetto Panthers next week to begin their regular season. 

Chaminade-Madonna Blanks Archbishop Carroll

     The Chaminade-Madonna Lions shut out the Archbishop Carroll Bulldogs 56-0 at Vince Zappone Field in kickoff classic on Friday night. The Lions are the defending FHSAA Class 1M state championships and have captured six state titles in the past seven years. 
     Both schools met each other in 2023. Chaminade-Madonna defeated Archbishop Carroll in the Class 1M state semifinals 47-7 at the same venue. 
     The Lions will start their 2024 regular season at home against the St. John Bosco Braves next Saturday night. The Bulldogs will visit the Florida Chrisitan Patriots on Friday. 
     Chaminade-Madonna had an impressive offense with quarterback Zachary Katz throwing two touchdown passes to wide receiver Koby Howard in the first half and one touchdown pass to wide receiver Kyle Washington. Running back Derek Cooper did have a 28-yard touchdown run while Angelo Smith returned a fumble for a score. 

Mets Shut Down Marlins

     The Miami Marlins were blanked by the New York Mets 4-0 on Saturday at Citi Field. It is the second contest of the three-game series. 
     New York(64-59) rolled out to a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Francisco Lindor smashed a solo home run on a 3-2 count to right-center field for his 24th homer of the year. It was his 17th home run for Lindor against the Marlins since the 2019 season. 
     The Mets increased it to 2-0 in the bottom of the second. Pete Alonso powered a solo homer on a 3-2 pitch to center field for his 27th home run of the campaign. Alonso has collected the most home runs versus the Fish since 2019. 
     In the third inning, it became a three-run margin for New York. Jesse Winker singled up the middle to score Brandon Nimmo. 
     Miami(45-78) gave up another run in the fourth inning and were down 4-0. Mark Vientos doubled down the left-field line and Lindor crossed the plate. 

Marlins 2025 Spring Training Schedule

     The Miami Marlins released their spring training schedule for 2025. The Fish will play their home games again at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter. The club will participate in 30 spring training games next year. 
     The Marlins will have their first spring training contest hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on February 22. Miami will conclude spring training on March 23 in Port St. Lucie against the New York Mets.

Friday, August 16, 2024

Martin County Covers Seminole Ridge

      The Martin County Tigers got by the Seminole Ridge Hawks 20-17 in a kickoff classic at Al Packer Field in Loxahatchee on Friday night. The Hawks will host the Glades Central Raiders next week to open up their 2024 regular season. The Tigers will make a long trip to take on the Sebring Blue Streaks opening week. 
     Seminole Ridge was able to get out in front with 1:28 remaining in the first quarter. Evan Havalacki kicked a field goal for a 3-0 advantage.  
     Martin County scored on their second possession of the contest with 3:22 left in the second for a 7-3 lead. Quarterback Vaughn O'Brien fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Amarion Queen on the right side. 
     The Hawks responded with a long kickoff return by Ty Jackson to the Tigers five-yard line. Running back Cody Tillman busted up the middle for a touchdown on the first play of the drive and they led 10-7 with 2:54 to go in the first half. 
     In the second half, the Tigers reclaimed the lead 13-10 with 3:54 remaining in the third quarter. O'Brien threw a five-yard swing pass to running back Paul Hendrix. 
     Seminole Ridge moved ahead 17-13 at the 11:10 mark of the fourth quarter. Running back Willie Young III rushed in for a score on a handoff from quarterback Garrett Rimes.
     Martin County took a 20-17 lead with 6:24 left in the fourth. Wide receiver Anthony Flores caught a 39-yard touchdown pass in traffic and raced into the end zone. 

Cardinal Gibbons Piles On Piper

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs routed the Piper Bengals 35-6 in a kickoff classic at Dr. Bud Tight Field in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night. The Chiefs look to contend for a state championship this year. 
     The Chiefs will open up their 2024 campaign at home next Friday against the Lake Mary Rams. The Bengals will host the Deerfield Beach Bucks next week. It will be the first of three consecutive home games for Piper. 

Lewin Diaz Heads To South Korea

     Former Miami Marlins first baseman Lewin Diaz is off the South Korea. He has signed a contract with Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization. He leaves Diablos Rojas del Mexico in the Mexican League. 
     Diaz was with the Marlins from 2020 until 2022. He finished with 13 home runs, 27 runs batted in and .191 batting average in 112 games with Miami. 

Marlins Fall To Mets

     The Miami Marlins lost to the New York Mets 7-3 at Citi Field on Friday night. The Marlins continued their five-game road trip. 
     In the first inning, the Mets leaped out to a 1-0 lead. J.D. Martinez knocked in Brandon Nimmo with a single into left field.  
     Miami(45-77) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth. Derek Hill to right field which scored Jonah Bride. Two batters later, Emmanuel Rivera grounded into to force out and Hill reached home. 
     New York(63-59) scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth and led 7-1. Jeff McNeil cracked a solo homer to right field with Francisco Alvarez aboard. It turned out to be McNeil's 12tth home run of the year. Francisco Lindor later tripled into the right-field corner to score Harrison Bader. Two batters later, Nimmo lifted a three-run homer on the first pitch to right field for his 17th homer. Lindor and Mark Vientos scored in front of him on the play. 
     The Fish garnered one run in the top of the fifth and trailed 7-3. Jake Burger walloped a solo home run to left-center field for his 24th home run of the season. 

Thursday, August 15, 2024

Atlantic Bounces Palm Beach Central

     The Atlantic Eagles breezed by the Palm Beach Central Broncos 46-17 at Broncos Stadium on Thursday night in a kickoff classic. It was one of the first high school football contests to be played in Palm Beach County this week. 
     Both are considered two of the best Palm Beach County high school football programs in recent years. The Eagles defeated the Broncos 15-0 in a kickoff classic played in Delray Beach last year. 
     Atlantic will host the Palm Beach Gardens Gators next week. Palm Beach Central will start the 2024 season at the Pahokee Blue Devils. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Takes Bishop Verot

     The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders defeated the Bishop Verot Vikings 37-14 in a kickoff classic at Fort Myers on Thursday night. It was a rare preseason road game for the Raiders. 
     St. Thomas Aquinas became the first Florida high school football program to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive FHSAA state title last year. STA has captured a state-record 15 FHSAA football championships.
     The Raiders got a field goal in the first quarter and added 27 more points during the second quarter for a 30-0 halftime lead. St. Thomas Aquinas reached the end zone early in the third quarter to lead 37-0 and a running clock was implemented. Bishop Verot scored 14 points in the remainder of the second half. 
     St. Thomas Aquinas begins the 2024 campaign at home next Saturday against Bishop Gorman. The Vikings will host Jesuit next Friday. 

Chargers Add Teair Tart

     It did not take long for defensive lineman Teair Tart find employment again. He inked a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. 
     Tart was just let go by the Miami Dolphins just two days ago. He signed as a free agent with the Fins back in April. 

Bo Mattingly Returns To Radio

     Former West Palm Beach radio sportscaster Bo Mattingly will be returning to the radio. He will be a morning co-host along with University of Arkansas Razorbacks radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Barrett on the syndicated ESPN Arkansas beginning on August 26. 
     Mattingly was the sports director and morning sports anchor at News Radio 1290 WJNO-AM in West Palm Beach during the early 2000s. He moved to Arkansas and became a sports anchor at KNWA-TV. 
     He added duties as an afternoon sports host at KFAY-AM in Fayetteville in 2007. Mattingly shifted his sports show to early afternoons at KABZ-FM in March 2008. He returned to the afternoon drive in November 2012 at KKSP-FM in Little Rock. 
     Mattingly was named the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Arkansas Sportscaster of the Year in 2012 and 2013. He left radio in February 2019 and spent the past five years as the owner and weekly podcast host of Sport&Story. 

Miami Heat 2024-25 Schedule

     The National Basketball Association released the 2024-25 regular season schedule. It will be the 37th season for the Miami Heat in the NBA. 
     Miami will begin their 2024-25 campaign at home on October 23 versus the Orlando Magic. They will conclude their regular season hosting the Washington Wizards on April 13. 
     The Heat will face all Eastern Conference teams either three or four times this season. The defending NBA champions the Boston Celtics will appear at Kaseya Center on February 10 and March 14. The New York Knicks are in South Florida on October 30 and March 2. The Philadelphia 76ers visit Miami on November 18 and April 7. 
     Miami will host and visit all 15 Western Conference clubs once each. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers show up on December 4. The Heat will be in Los Angeles to face the Clippers on January 13 in their new arena. The Lakers host Miami two days later on January 15. 

Jordan Phillips Traded

     The New York Giants have traded defensive lineman Jordan Phillips to the Dallas Cowboys. He signed with the Giants on April 11 following his second stint with the Buffalo Bills.
     Phillips began his National Football League career with the Miami Dolphins. He participated in 48 games with the Fins during his four seasons from 2015 to 2018. 

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Nationals Releasing Harold Ramirez

     The Washington Nationals have decided to release outfielder Harold Ramirez. The club designated him for assignment on Tuesday. 
     Ramirez spent two seasons with the Miami Marlins from 2019 to 2020. He had a .274 batting average, 19 home runs and 93 runs batted in during 122 contests with the Fish. 

Patty Mills Leaves For Jazz

     Miami Heat guard Patty Mills will not be returning to the club. He has agreed to a one-year contract worth around $3 million with the Utah Jazz. 
     Mills joined the Heat back on March 6 and participated in 13 regular season games. He finished with 5.8 points per game and 1.5 assists per game with the Heat. 

Phillies Drop Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies downed the Miami Marlins 9-5 on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Marlins will visit the New York Mets on Friday. 
     Miami(45-76) started off ahead in the opening frame. Jonah Bride smashed a three-run homer, his fifth home run of the year, for a three-run margin. 
     The Phillies answered back with one run in the second and one run in the third. The Marlins expanded their lead to 5-2 during the top of the fourth.  
     Philadelpha(70-50) overcame the Fish with four runs in the bottom of the fourth for a 6-5 advantage. Kyle Schwaber connected with a grand-slam home run to left-center field on a 2-1 pitch for his 28th homer of the campaign. It was his seventh career grand-slam homer. 
     In the top of the seventh, the Phils added three more runs and led 9-5. It was capped by J.T. Realmuto with a two-run double into right field. 

30th Anniversary MLB Strike

     Monday was the 30th anniversary of the Major League Baseball strike. It began on August 12, 1994 and lasted until April 2, 1995. 
     From the South Florida standpoint, the Florida Marlins did host the St. Louis Cardinals at Joe Robbie Stadium prior to the strike on August 11. It turned out to be a quiet Marlins locker room after losing 8-6 in the contest. 
     The work stoppage had a tremendous impact on the sport. The regular season never resumed and then the 1994 World Series was not played. It would be the first time since 1904 that the World Series did not take place. 

ESPN West Palm Adding Colin Russo

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM will be adding to their on-air talent roster. They have hired Colin Russo, son of longtime WFAN-AM sports talk radio personality and current SiriusXM Radio Mad Dog Radio afternoon host Chris Russo. 
     It is expected that recently hired Michael Rizzo will co-host afternoon drive with Russo from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the near future. It is unknown what will become of the one-hour show at 5 p.m. called Theoretically Speaking with WPTV-TV Channel 5 sports anchor Theo Dorsey and Christian Katt. That program was launched back on April 8 at ESPN West Palm. 

Colin White Goes To AHL

     Colin White looks like he will begin the 2024-25 campaign in the American Hockey League. He has signed a one-year deal with the San Jose Barracuda, which is the AHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks. 
     White played one season with the Florida Panthers in 2022-23 and helped them capture the Eastern Conference crown. He ended up that season with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 68 games. 

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Columbus Crew Eliminates Inter Miami CF

     The reigning Leagues Cup champions Inter Miami CF were eliminated by the Columbus Crew 3-2 at Lower.com Field on Tuesday night in the Leagues Cup Round of 16. Columbus will host NYCFC this Saturday in the Leagues Cup Quarterfinals. 
     In the first half, Inter Miami CF got out to a 1--0 lead in the 10th minute. Matias Rojas made a diving header from seven yards away. It was the fourth goal in the last four Leagues Cup contests for Rojas. 
     There was plenty of scoring in the second half of play. It became 2-0 for the Herons during the 62nd minute. Diego Gomez made a give-and-go pass with Luis Suarez and eventually scored with a right-footed shot from 12 yards out. 
     Columbus responded quickly with three unanswered goals to take a 3-2 lead. Christian Ramirez redirected in a header from six yards during the 67th minute. Diego Rossi added goals in the 69th minute on a right-foot volley from eight yards and in the 80th minute with a right-footed shot from seven yards out for the Crew. 

Miami Heat 2024 NBA Cup Schedule

     The 2024 NBA Cup in-season tournament schedule was released by the National Basketball Association. The six groups were announced last month. 
     The Miami Heat will be at the Detroit Pistons on November 12 and at the Indiana Pacers on November 15. The Heat will host the Milwaukee Bucks on November 26 and the Toronto Raptors on November 29 at Kaseya Center.  

Dolphins Release Teair Tart

     The Miami Dolphins have released defensive lineman Teair Tart. He never participated in a regular season game with Miami. The Fins signed Tart back on April 5. 
     Tart played his first five NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He finished the 2023 campaign with the Houston Texans. 

Marlins Mash Phillies

     The Miami Marlins canned the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night. It was the first contest of a five-game road swing for the Fish. 
     Miami(45-75) strolled out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Jonah Bride knocked in Jake Burger with a base hist into left field. Otto Lopez later singled into right field to score Jesus Sachez.
     The Fish increased it to 3-0 in the top of the third. Burger blasted a 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his 23rd homer of the season. It was Burger's first time of four consecutive games with a home run. 
     Philadelphia(69-50) surrendered another run in the seventh inning and trailed 4-0. Xavier Edwads stole third base and a throwing error by Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto had him advance to home. 
     It became 5-0 for the Marlins in the top of the ninth. Jesus Sanchez powered a solo home run to right field on the first pitch for his 15th homer of the campaign. 

Monday, August 12, 2024

Marlins Baseball Operations Changes

     The Miami Marlins continue to reorganize their baseball operations department. Many changes have been made by the organization over the past 12 months. 
     Former general manager Kim Ng, who was hired in November 2020, decided not to exercise her option to remain with team after the 2023 season when the Marlins were going to name a supervisor above her. Miami did hire Peter Bendix as their president of baseball operations last November. 
     Assistant general managers Oz Ocampo and Dan Greenlee were both notified that their contracts will not be renewed for the 2025 campaign. Ocampo was hired by Ng in November 2022. Greenlee joined the club in 2017 and was promoted to assistant general manager in October 2020. International scouting director Roman Ocumarez is not expected to be retained for next season. 

Michael Irvin & Rachel Nichols Out

     Fox Sports 1 mentioned that Undisputed and their on-air talent will not return. Skip Bayless was the main host and did his final show on August 2. 
     Several former South Florida media members were on the Undisputed staff. Michael Irvin, former Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM talk show host, was one of four co-hosts on the program going back to last year. Rachel Nichols, one-time Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel sportswriter, was a guest panelist on the show. 

Miami Heat 2024-25 Preseason Schedule

     The Miami Heat announced their upcoming 2024-25 preseason schedule. The team will play three home games and two away games. 
     Miami will begin their preseason on October 8 at the Charlotte Hornets on October 8. The Heat will follow with three home contests. They host the Atlanta Hawks on October 10, the New Orleans Pelicans on October 13 and the San Antonio Spurs on October 15. The club will complete their preseason on October 18 at the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Kyle Tyler Gone From Marlins

     Miami Marlins pitcher Kyle Tyler has been claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was designated for assignment by the Fish on Friday. Tyler will begin his Phillies stint with their Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley. 
     Turner played in the majors with the Marlins organization this year. He pitched in eight games and had a 0-2 record with a 5.40 earned run average. 

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Marlins Hold Off Padres

     The Miami Marlins avoided a three-game sweep with a 7-6 win over San Diego Padres on Sunday at loanDepot park. The Marlins finished up their seven-game homestand with a 2-5 record. The Padres had their seven-game winning streak snapped and head home to face the Pittsburgh Pirates tomorrow. 
     The Fish begin a five-game road trip on Tuesday in Philadelphia and take on the Phillies. Miami has the rare occurrence of two days off this week on Monday and Thursday.   
     Miami(44-75) rolled out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jonah Bride got an infield hit for Xavier Edwards to score. Two batters later, Otto Lopez drove in Jake Burger with a base hit into center field.
     The Marlins added three more runs in the second inning for a five-run margin. Xavier Edwards reached base on a catching error at first and Derek Hill scored. Burger came up next and blasted a two-run homer to center field on a 1-1 pitch with Edwards aboard. It was Burger's 22nd home run of the 2024 campaign and his 15th homer in the last 16 games.    
     San Diego(66-53) made it 5-1 in the top of the fifth. David Peralta grounded out to first for Xander Bogaerts to cross the plate. 
     The Padres closed it to 5-3 in the sixth inning with two runs. Luis Campusano reached home on a ground out by Jurickson Profar to first. Jake Cronenworth followed with a ground out to the pitcher and Arraez scored. 
     In the top of the seventh, the Friars pulled it to 5-4. Peralta doubled into the right-field corner and Jackson Merrill raced home. 
     The Fish expanded it to a three-run margin 7-4 during the bottom of the seventh. Jesus Sanchez blasted a two-run home run to right field on a 1-0 count for his 14th homer of the year. Burger scored ahead of him on the play. 
     Two former Marlins hurt Miami in the eighth inning and the Padres trailed 7-6. Donovan Solano lifted a two-run homer to left field with Luis Arraez on base for his fifth home run in a Padres jersey. 
     A major controversy happened during the top of the ninth. Ha-Seong Kim hit a ball with two outs that went off the top of the left-field wall, deflected off the glove of left fielder Kyle Stowers and landed beyond the fence for what looked to be a game-tying home run. Rule 5.05(A)(8) stated any bounding fair ball is declared in play even if it is later off a defensive player. The umpire crew said it was a ground-rule double and not a home run. The Padres were unable to tie it up later in the frame. 

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Padres Outlast Marlins

     The San Diego Padres outscored the Miami Marlins 9-8 in 10 innings on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Padres got their seventh consecutive series victory and have won seventh straight contests. The Marlins lost in extra innings for the third straight day. 
     In the first inning, Saa Diego(66-52) scored to go up 1-0. Jake Cronenworth doubled into the left-center field gap to score Luis Arraez. 
     The Padres expanded it to 2-0 in the top of the third. Manny Machado singled through the right side and Jurickson Profar scored. 
     The Friars added another run in the top of the fourth for a three-run margin. The Marlins got on the scoreboard once in the bottom of the fourth and they trailed 3-1. 
     Miami(43-75) was able to rally with six runs in the fifth inning for a 7-3 advantage. Jesus Sanchez and Otto Lopez both had two-run doubles to give the Fish the lead 5-1. Derek Hill knocked in Kyle Stowers on a sacrifice fly to center field. Jhonny Pereda followed with an RBI-single which brought in Lopez. 
     In the top of the seventh, San Diego gathered two runs and were down 7-5. Arraez grounded out to first and David Peralta scored. Two batters later, Cronenworth drove in Ha-Seong Kim on a force out. 
     The Padres reclaimed the lead 8-7 in the top of the eighth. Jackson Merrill homered to right-center field with Xande Bogaerts aboard for his 17th home run of the season and his second homer of the series. Four batters later, Arraez got an infield single for Bryce Johnson to reach home. 
     The Marlins answered back with one run in the bottom of the eighth to tie it 8-8. Jake Burger smashed a solo home run on a 0-1 pitch that bounced off the top of the right-field fence and into the bullpen for his 21st home run of the year. It was Burger's ninth home run in the past 15 games. 
     San Diego pulled ahead 9-8 in the top of the 10th. Arraez grounded out to first for Tyler Wade to cross the plate. 

Cubs Release Dan Straily

     The Chicago Cubs released former Miami Marlins starting pitcher Dan Straily. He pitched 78 2/3 innings for the Cubs Triple-A affiliate the Iowa Cubs this year and had a 5.49 earned run average. 
     Straily was with the Marlins for two seasons from 2017 to 2018. He made 56 starts and had a 15-15 record with a 4.20 earned run average. 

Bam Adebayo Wins Gold Medal

     Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo won his first gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Saturday. The United States defeated France 98-87 in the gold-medal game at Bercy Arena in Paris. 
     The United States men's basketball team won the gold medal for the fifth straight time going back to 2008. It was the eighth time in the last nine occasions. 
     Former Heat player LeBron James and current Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra were part of the Team USA squad.  Adebayo ended up with two points along with one rebound. James finished with a double-double of 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. He was voted the Olympics Most Valuable Player.

Local High Schools On National Television

     ESPN will be broadcasting high school football season-opening games in two weeks on their network for the 15th consecutive year. It will involve several of the top South Florida high school football programs. The American Heritage Patriots will host Milton ftom Geogia on August 23 at 7 p.m. at Heritage Field in Plantation. 
     There will be two local games to be aired on August 24. The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders host Bishop Gorman from Las Vegas at Simmons Family Field in Fort Lauderdale at 4 p.m. on ESPN. The Chaminade-Madonna Lions play at home against St. John Bosco of California at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. 

Friday, August 9, 2024

Dolphins Defeat Falcons

     The Miami Dolphins opened up their preseason with a 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday night. The Fins will participate in two more contests during the preseason. 
     The Dolphins will not be playing outside the state of Florida before the start of 2024 regular season. They host the Washington Commanders on August 17 and then visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on August 23.

Marlins Claim Xzavion Curry

     Pitcher Xzavion Curry has been claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins. He was on the roster of the Cleveland Guardians. 
     Curry saw spot duty on the pitching staff over the past three seasons in Cleveland. He pitched in 50 contests and had a 4.50 earned run average. 

Jean Segura Joins Orioles

     Former Miami Marlins third baseman Jean Segura has inked a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He has not played in organized baseball this year. 
     Segura was with the Marlins for just one season in 2023. He had a .219 batting average with three home runs and 21 runs batted in during 85 games with Miami. He was traded to the Cleveland Guardians by the Fish for Josh Bell on August 1, 2023. Segura never played a contest while in Cleveland. 

Jonathan Garvin Ends With 49ers

     Former Lake Worth Trojans and University of Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin has landed with the San Francisco 49ers. He has signed a one-year contract. 
     Garvin spent three seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 2020 to 2022 and participated in 38 games. He did not play in the National Football League during 2023. Garvin played with the Birmingham Stallions earlier this year and captured the United Football League title. 

Padres Dissolve Marlins

     The San Diego Padres visited the Miami Marlins on Friday night at loanDepot park and won 6-2 in 10 innings. The Padres have won six consecutive games and nine of their last 11 contests. The Marlins have lost four of five contests during their seven-game homestand. 
     Miami(43-74) made it 2-0 with two runs during the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back home runs. Jake Burger blasted a solo homer to left field on a 1-1 pitch for his 20th home run of the season. Jonah Bride followed with his fourth home run of the campaign on the first pitch. 
     San Diego(65-52) cut it down to 2-1 in the top of the eighth. Manny Machado doubled to the center-field warning track and Jurickson Profar crossed the plate. 
     The Padres evened it up 2-2 in the ninth inning. Jackson Merrill homered to right-center field on a 0-0 count for his 16th career home run. 
     In the top of the 10th, San Diego pulled away from the Marlins with four runs. Tyler Wade scored when Jake Cronenworth reached base on a fielder's choice. Machado came up next and knocked in former Marlin Luis Arraez and Cronenworth on a double into right-center field. Two batters later, Merrill drove in Machado with a base hit into left field. 

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Josh Tolentino Joins The Score

     Josh Tolentino has joined The Score as their new lead National Football League reporter. He recently was the Philadelphia Eagles beat writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 2021 until June 2024. 
     Tolentino did cover the Miami Dolphins as a beat reporter for The Athletic Miami from 2020 to 2021. Prior to his arrival in South Florida, he started as a Green Bay Packers reporter for The Athletic Wisconsin. Tolentino followed that by being the Tampa Bay Rays reporter with The Athletic Tampa Bay during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. 

Inter Miami CF Outduels Toronto FC

     Inter Miami CF outscored Toronto FC 4-3 on Thursday night at Chase Stadium in the Leagues Cup Round of 32. The Herons will face either the Columbus Crew or Sporting Kansas City in the Round of 16 next week. 
     It was a scoring fest in the first half as both teams combined for six goals. Inter Miami CF had goals from Matias Rojas and Diego Gomez in the 12th minute for a 2-0 lead. Toronto FC cut it to 2-1 on a penalty-kick goal by Lorenzo Insigne. 
     The Herons responded with a tally by Luis Suarez during the 20th minute for a two-goal margin again. Toronto answered back to make it 3-2 on another Insigne penalty kick in the 41st minute. 
     Rojas collected his second goal of the contest for Inter Miami CF in the 59th minute and they led 4-2. Toronto FC made it 4-3 during the 79th minute on an own goal by Noah Allen. 

West Palm Beach Ratings July 2024

     West Palm Beach radio stations were issued their monthly ratings. The time span went from the third week in June to the third week in July. The two local competitors tied in the ratings for the sixth time since July 2023 and the third time since this past March. 
     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.4 for the second straight month. They depended on Fox Sports Radio for the entire week and the Andy Slater mid-afternoon program for 10 hours a week. 
     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM stayed at a 0.4 again in this period. The Florida Panthers were able to capture their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series. The Miami Marlins dropped to the worst record in the National League. 

James Posey Suns Assistant Coach

     Former Miami Heat forward James Posey has been named an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns. He had previous assistant coach stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. 
     Posey was part of the Miami Heat in 2005-06 when they captured their first NBA title in franchise history. He also won another title with the Boston Celtics in 2007-08.  

Mike Harley Jr. Inks With Dolphins

     Mike Harley Jr. has signed a deal with the Miami Dolphins. It is expected that he will try to contend as a wide receiver for a roster spot. 
     Harley has been well known in South Florida prior to his arrival with the Dolphins. He played for the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders while in high school and captured three FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Harley spent the next five years with the University of Miami Hurricanes where he compiled 182 catches for 2,158 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns receptions in 60 contests. 

Seahawks Signing Connor Williams

     The Seattle Seahawks will be signing offensive tackle Connor Williams. It is expected to be a one-year contract worth almost $6 million. 
     Williams spent the past two years with the Miami Dolphins and participated in 26 games. He was with the Dallas Cowboys in his first four NFL seasons. 

Reds Squeak By Marlins

     The Cincinnati Reds batted down the Miami Marlins 10-4 in 10 innings at loanDepot park in the final contest of a four-game series. The Reds were victorious in three of the four games between both clubs. The Marlins will host the San Diego Padres over the weekend. 
     Cincinnati(56-59) broke out to a 2-0 advantage in the opening frame. Tyler Stephenson grounded out to short and Elly De La Cruz crossed the plate. T.J. Friedl followed with a solo home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch for his seventh homer this year. 
     It became 3-0 for the Red Legs in the top of the third. Friedl knocked in Jonathan India when he singled up the middle. 
     Miami(43-73) was able to tie it up 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Derek Hill grounded into a force out for Jonah Bride to score. Vidal Brujan came up next and drove in Otto Lopez on a base hit to right field. Jhonny Pereda then singled into center field and Hill reached home. 
     The Reds piled on seven runs in the top of the 10th for a commanding 10-3 lead. Stephenson walked with the bases loaded for Stuart Fairchild to score. Friedl was hit by a pitch and India touched home. Spencer Steer followed with base hit to left field which scored De La Cruz. 
     Jeimer Candelario then singled through the right side for Stephenson and Friedl to score. Steer scored on a fielding error in left-center field during a Noelvi Marte at-bat. Stuart Fairchild knocked in Candelario with a sacrifice fly into right field. 
     The Marlins did get one run in the bottom of the 10th and cut it to 10-4. Hill grounded out to third and Lopez raced home. 

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

WQBA Flips From Sports

     TUDN Radio 1140 WQBA-AM will be flipping from a Spanish-language sports format on August 12. The station will introduce a Spanish-language news/talk format. 
     WQBA went from a Spanish-language talk format to a Spanish-language sports format called Univision Deportes Radio back in April 2017. They were the Spanish-language flagship radio station of the Miami Dolphins from 2017 to 2022, the Miami Heat from the 2004-05 campaign until the late 2010s and Miami FC in 2017.  
     The radio station was rebranded from Univision Deportes Radio to TUDN Radio in July 2019. TelevisaUnivision sold WQBA-AM and Radio Mambi 710 WAQI-AM to Latino Media Network in June 2022. WQBA was at a 0.1 in the June ratings and a 0.2 in the recently released July ratings. 

Reds Canned By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins handled the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 at loanDepot park on Wednesday night. The Reds had taken the first two contests of the four-game series. 
     Miami(43-72) sprinted out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jake Burger picked up a solo homer on the first pitch to center field. Four batters later, Derek Hill hammered a grand-slam home run to right-center field on a 0-1 pitch with Johan Bride, Jesus Sanchez and Otto Lopez aboard. It was his first home run in a Marlins uniform. 
     The Marlins increased it to a six-run margin in the fifth inning. Burger belted a solo home run to left field on a 0-1 count for his second home run of the game and 19th home run of the year. 
     Cincinnati(55-59) climbed back into the contest with four runs during the top of the seventh to make it 6-4. T.J. Friedl smacked a grand-slam homer to right field on a 0-2 count for his sixth home run of the campaign. Jake Fraley, Santiago Espinal and Tyler Stephenson scored in front of Friedl on the play. 

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Pitbull Stadium At FIU

     Pitbull has purchased the naming rights to the football stadium at Florida International University. It will be called Pitbull Stadium. 
     The agreement between Pitbull and FIU will be for five years. Pitbull will pay the school $1.2 million per year. The FIU Panthers football program, which has existed since 2002, participates in Conference USA.
     The stadium was known as Riccardo Silva Stadium from 2017 to 2022. There were no naming rights to the venue over the past two years when it had the name FIU Stadium. 

Miami Ratings July 2024

     The Miami/Fort Lauderdale region received their ratings for sports talk radio stations. The time span went from third week of June to the third week of July. 
     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM rose from a 1.1 to a 1.3 in the period. The Florida Panthers captured their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in the seven-game series. Inter Miami CF leaped back into first place in the Eastern Conference and Major League Soccer standings. 
     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM remained at a 0.5 for the third straight month. The Miami Marlins had the worst record in the National League and second worst record in Major Lague Baseball at 33-63. The station had continuous airing of Fox Sports Radio. 
     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM stayed at a 0.1 for the third consecutive month. They relied on Fox Sports Radio syndicated programming along with their local mid-afternoon show with Andy Slater. 
     The stream of WQAM rocketed up from a 0.4 to a new all-time high of a 1.3. The Panthers winning the Stanley Cup did help matters and increased their audience tremendously. 
     WZTU-FM-HD2 appeared for the first time in the ratings with a 0.1. It is a simulcast of Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM. 

Marlins Get Brett de Geus

     The Miami Marlins picked up pitcher Brett de Geus off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. He was sent to the Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville. 
     de Geus made four relief appearances for the Mariners this season and had a 2.70 earned run average. He had a previous stint in the majors with the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks during 2021. 

Reds Stomp Marlins

     The Cincinnati Reds clobbered the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Tuesday night at loanDepot park. It is the second contest of a four-game series between both clubs. Cincinnati has outscored the Fish 18-5 in the past two games. 
     The Reds scooted ahead 1-0 in the top of the first. Tyler Stephenson powered a solo home run to center field on the first pitch. It ended up being his career-high 14th homer of the season. 
     Cincinnati(55-58) expanded it to 2-0 in the third inning. T.J. Freidl doubled into center field and Elly De La Cruz crossed the plate. 
     The Red Legs made it 6-0 in the top of the fourth with four runs. De La Cruz doubled into the left-field corner which scored Jake Fraley and Noelvi Marte. Two batters later, Friedl hit a sacrifice fly to center field and Jonathan India scored. Stephenson came up next and drove in De La Cruz with a single up the middle. 
     Miami(42-72) closed it to 6-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Derek Hill singled up the middle to score Otto Lopez and Jesus Sanchez. 
     In the fifth inning, the Reds added another run for a 7-2 advantage. Ty France cracked a solo home run on a full count to right-center field for his second straight game with a homer. They increased it to 8-2 in the top of the eighth when Marte scored on a throwing error. 

Monday, August 5, 2024

Tim Bowens In Dolphins Ring Of Honor

     The Miami Dolphins announced that former defensive lineman Tim Bowens will be inducted into the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor at Hard Rock Stadium. He will be the 28th member to be placed there. 
The ceremony will be held at halftime during their home contest on October 27. 
     Bowens spent his entire 11-year NFL career with the Fins from 1994 until 2004. He participated in 157 games with the Dolphins and compiled 22 sacks. 

Cole Swider Off To Pacers

     Former Miami Heat forward Cole Swider has moved on and joined the Indiana Pacers. He has agreed to a one-year contract with the team. 
     Swider spent last season with the Miami Heat. He finished with 2.3 points per game and 0.4 rebounds per game in 18 contests. He entered the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022-23. 

Reds Rout Marlins

     The Cincinnati Reds pounded the Miami Marlins 10-3 at loanDepot park on Monday night. The Marlins, who were 5-4 on their recent nine-game road trip, began a seven-game homestand. 
     Cincinnati(54-58) quickly scored two runs in the opening frame for a 2-0 advantage. Elly De La Cruz crushed a two-run homer to right-center field on the first pitch with Jonathan India aboard. It turned out to be the 19th home run for De La Cruz this season. 
     The Reds added two more runs during the third inning for a four-run margin. De La Cruz reached base on a throwing error and India scored. Two batters later, T.J. Friedl hit a sacrifice fly to left field and De La Cruz crossed the plate. 
     It became 6-0 for the Red Legs in the top of the fourth. Noelvi Marte lifted a two-run homer to right field on a 1-2 count for his third home run of the campaign. Jake Fraley scored in front of him on the play. 
     In the fifth inning, Cincinnati made it 7-0. Ty France socked his first home run with his new club on a 2-0 count over the center-field wall. 
     Miami(42-71) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth. Jesus Sanchez hammered a solo home run on a 1-1 pitch to right field for his 13th homer of the year. His 480-foot home run was the longest in Major League Baseball in 2024. 
     The Marlins cut it to 7-3 in the seventh inning. Sanchez grounded into a double play and Ali Sanchez reached home. Jonah Bride followed and knocked in Xavier Edwards with a single into right field. 
     The Reds increased it to 8-3 in the top of the eighth. De La Cruz walloped a solo home run to right field on a 1-0 count for his 20th homer of the season. He became the third Reds player in franchise history, along with Joe Morgan and Eric Davis, to compile at least 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season. 
     In the ninth inning, Cincinnati added two more runs for a seven-run gap. Fraley doubled down the left-field line for Tyler Stephenson and Jeimer Candelario to score. 

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Tyreek Hill And Dolphins Reconstruct Contract

     The Miami Dolphins and wide receiver Tyreek Hill have agreed to a reworked contract. He will get a raise of $11.4 million in each of the next two seasons. 
     Hill will be entering his third season with the Dolphins. He played six seasons for Kansas City Chiefs and prior to his arrival in Miami. Hill led the National Football League with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdown receptions in 2023. He has 10,139 receiving yards in his NFL career. 

Marlins Shut Out Braves

     The Miami Marlins blanked the Atlanta Braves 7-0 at Truist Park on Sunday and split a four-game series. The Marlins finished off a nine-game road trip with a 5-4 record. 
     Marlins starting pitcher Edward Cabrera picked up the win pitching five innings. He surrendered three hits and struck out eight batters. 
     Miami(42-70) piled on six runs during the top of the fourth. Former Brave Cristian Pache knocked in Emmanuel Rivera with a base hit into center field. Otto Lopez scored on an Ali Sanchez fielder's choice. Xavier Edwards followed with an infield single and Pache crossed the plate. . 
     Two batters later, Jonah Bride hooked a three-run homer down the left-field line with Sanchez and Edwards aboard. It was his third home run in Bride's past five games. 
     Atlanta(60-51) gave up one more run in the eighth inning. Jake Burger hit a sacrifice fly to right field for David Hensley to score. 

Derek Hill Claimed By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins have claimed outfielder Derek Hill off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. It was the second time in the past three weeks that Hill was on the waiver wire. 
     Hill began the 2024 campaign with the Texas Rangers and participated in 16 contests. He moved on to the Giants and saw action in five games. 

Dolphins Ink Sean Harlow

     The Miami Dolphins have signed offensive lineman Sean Harlow to a one-year contract. He will be participating with his fifth NFL team since 2019. 
     Harlow has played in 41 National Football League games. He split his time last season with the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. 

Saturday, August 3, 2024

Inter Miami CF Lose To Tigres UNML

     Inter Miami CF fell to Tigres UNML 2-1 at NRG Stadium in Houston on Saturday night. It was the second game in the League Cup group stage. 
     The Herons completed and finished up the group stage in second place with a 1-1-0 record for three points. Inter Miami CF advanced in League Cup play and will face Toronto FC in the Round of 32. 
     Tigres rushed out in front 1-0 in the 18th minute. Juan Brunetta volleyed a right-footed shot from 18 yards away. 
     In the second half, Inter Miami CF tied it up 1-1 during the 74th minute of play. Leonardo Camapana was able to put in a penalty kick with his left foot into the top right corner of the cage. Tigres regained the lead 2-1 in the 84th minute when Juan Vigon blasted a right-footed, 12-yard shot.

Marlins Nip Braves

     The Miami Marlins got by the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Saturday night at Truist Park. It was the third contest of a four-game series between both teams. 
     Atlanta(60-50) was up 1-0 after one inning and led 3-1 in the bottom of the third. Miami(41-70) tied it up 3-3 with two runs in the top of the fifth. The Fish took a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning when Jesus Sanchez drove in Nick Fortes on a double to left field. 

Friday, August 2, 2024

Brady Keeper Moving To Europe

     One-time Florida Panthers defenseman Brady Keeper is off to Europe. He has signed a one-year contract with HK Poprad in Slovakia. 
    Keeper broke into the NHL with the Panthers organization. He played in one regular season game in 2018-19 and one regular season contest in 2020-21. 

John McMillon Added By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins continued to make additions to their roster since the Major League Baseball trade deadline. The Fish have claimed pitcher John McMillon from the Kansas City Royals. He has not played in the majors this year. 
     McMillon made his Major League Baseball debut with the Royals the 2023 regular season. He made four relief appearances with Kansas City  and had a 2.25 earned run average. 

Marlins Claim Cristian Pache

     The Miami Marlins have claimed outfielder Cristian Pache off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. He will be playing for his third organization this year. 
     Pache has bounced around the majors since he entered Major League Baseball in 2020. He has participated with the Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's, Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles.  

Braves Push By Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves survived the Miami Marlins 5-3 at Truist Park on Friday night. The Marlins continued their four-game series with the Braves. 
     Miami(40-70) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Jonah Bride lifted a two-run homer to left-center field on a 3-1 pitch for his second home run of the campaign. Xavier Edwards was able to score in front of him. 
     The Marlins extended their lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Jake Burger powered a solo home run on a 0-1 count to left field for his 16th homer of the year. 
     Atlanta(60-49) begins their comeback from the three-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth. Orlando Arcia cracked a solo home run to right-center field on a 0-1 pitch for his 11th homer of the season. 
     It became 3-2 in the sixth inning. Whit Merrifield crossed the plate when Austin Riley grounded out to second. 
     Two former Marlins sparked the Braves rally to overtake the Fish in the bottom of the eighth for a 5-3 advantage. Jorge Soler knocked in Jarred Kelenic with a base hit through the right side. Two batters later, Marcell Ozuna hit a sacrifice fly to left field which scored Ramon Laureano. Arcia later drove in Riley with a single to center field. 

Jerar Encarnacion Returns To Majors

     Former Miami Marlins outfielder Jerar Encarnacion has returned to Major League Baseball. He was called up by the San Francisco Giants and is expected to play in the three-game series at the Cincinnati Reds this weekend. 
     Encarnacion made it to the majors with the Marlins back in 2022. He compiled three home runs, 14 runs batted in and a .182 batting average in 23 games with Miami.