South Florida Local News

Today is Sunday, Sept. 29, the 273rd day of 2024. There are 93 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 29, 1982, Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules laced with deadly cyanide claimed the first of seven victims in the Chicago area; the case, which led to legislation and packaging improvements to deter product tampering, remains unsolved.

Also on this date:

In 1789, Congress officially established a regular army under the U.S. Constitution.

In 1938, British, French, German and Italian leaders concluded the Munich Agreement, which was aimed at appeasing Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland.

In 1954, Willie Mays of the New York Giants made a running, over-the-shoulder catch of a ball hit by Vic Wirtz of the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series; “The Catch” would become one of the most famous plays in baseball history.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed an act creating the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In 1990, the construction of Washington National Cathedral concluded, 83 years to the day after its foundation stone was laid in a ceremony attended by President Theodore Roosevelt.

In 2005, John G. Roberts Jr. was sworn in as the nation’s 17th chief justice after winning Senate confirmation.

In 2017, Tom Price resigned as President Donald Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services amid investigations into his use of costly charter flights for official travel at taxpayer expense.

In 2018, Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, agreed to pay a total of $40 million to settle a government lawsuit alleging that Musk had duped investors with misleading statements about a proposed buyout of the company.

In 2021, a judge in Los Angeles suspended Britney Spears’ father from the conservatorship that had controlled her life and money for 13 years, saying the arrangement reflected a “toxic environment.”

In 2022, rescue crews piloted boats and waded through flooded streets to save thousands of Floridians trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and businesses and left millions in the dark.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Writer-director Robert Benton is 92.
• NASA administrator and former Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is 82.
• Actor Ian McShane is 82.
• Jazz musician Jean-Luc Ponty is 82.
• Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa (lehk vah-WEN’-sah) is 81.
• TV journalist and sportscaster Bryant Gumbel is 76.
• Olympic gold medal runner Sebastian Coe is 68.
• Rock musician Les Claypool is 61.
• Actor Zachary Levi is 44.
• Actor Chrissy Metz (TV: “This Is Us”) is 44.
• Actor Kelly McCreary (TV: “Grey’s Anatomy”) is 43.
• Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson is 39.
• NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is 36.
• Pop singer Halsey is 30.

DALLAS — Kevin Jennings passed for three touchdowns and Kobe Wilson returned one of three SMU interceptions 82 yards for a score as the Mustangs beat Florida State 42-16 on Saturday night before a sellout crowd in their ACC debut.

Jennings threw TD passes of 11 and 15 yards to RJ Maryland and a flea-flicker score of 42 yards to Jordan Hudson.

Jennings was 16-for-23 passing for 254 yards.

Wilson made the interception between the hash marks, raced to the right sideline, and broke a tackle and hurdled a teammate while escorted to the end zone.

Brashard Smith and Roderick Daniels Jr. scored rushing touchdowns for the Mustangs (4-1, 1-0) from 13 and 2 yards. Daniels’ score ended a drive that was continued when FSU’s Omarion Cooper was called for a facemask penalty on the Mustangs’ punt from their 26-yard line.

DJ Uiagalelei was 12-for-30 passing for 222 yards, 3 interceptions, and TD passes of 9 yards to Kentron Poitier and 20 yards to Landen Thomas for Florida State (1-4, 1-3). Uiagalelei was replaced by Brock Glenn in the final minutes.

The Seminoles also scored on a safety in the half’s closing seconds when, forcing a punt from SMU’s 9, long snapper Will Benton IV sailed the ball over the head of Isaac Pearson and beyond the end zone.

Top takeaway

FSU continues to struggle on the ground. The Seminoles went into play averaging 67.75 rushing yards per game, the fourth fewest among FBS teams. They gained 75 on 26 attempts, averaging 2.9 yards per carry, and were led by Lawrence Toafili with 67 yards.

SMU leads FBS with five non-offensive touchdowns — 2 interception returns, 2 fumble returns and 1 punt return.

Up next …

FSU vs. Clemson

When:  TBD, Oct. 5, Doak Campbell Stadium

TV: TBD

General Daily Insight for September 29, 2024

The fog is clearing today — albeit slowly. The Moon in Leo starts out with a pair of confusing, indirect angles, the first to mystical Neptune, the second to alchemical Pluto. It’ll be difficult to know what to do with all our ambition and energy! Things should become more manageable when the Moon enters efficient Virgo at 5:42 am EDT, slicing through the cosmic fog. The Moon will then sextile Venus in Scorpio, encouraging healthy connections and open-hearted conversations for a better outcome.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Get your life in order, Aries! The Moon is marching into your 6th house, which is the most efficient and responsible sector of your chart. That’s right — get ready to buckle down and roll up your sleeves as soon as possible. This doesn’t just apply to professional work, but to all the little aspects of your routine and wellness habits. You’ll be able to clean up your act across the board. Just a few small changes can make your life flow that much better.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Put some effort into having some fun! It’s the perfect time to enjoy yourself as the Moon dances into your chipper 5th house, so don’t feel guilty for one moment about temporarily setting your work to the side and chasing after the sunny side of life. You can kick back in whatever fashion you like. That said, the 5th house is very creative territory, so whether you’re a proven artist or just occasionally dabble, make an effort to let inspiration move your hands.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

It’s alright if you’re not feeling very outgoing. You probably won’t want to do too much outside your home, thanks to the Moon entering your comfortable 4th house. Luna requests that you set aside time to curl up on the couch — after tending to any necessary matters around the house. Look around your space and identify any small changes that won’t be painful to enact but will improve your space. It can be as simple as folding laundry or tidying a tabletop.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

You’ve got a long to-do list, so don’t leave it for others to tend to. The Moon is diving into your active 3rd house, helping you take stock of all the things on your plate — and what you need to do to be certain that you won’t get left behind in the process. A friend or sibling could prove an ideal soundboard for bouncing a few ideas off of as well. Don’t hesitate to ask others if they happen to have a solution.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

A few well-chosen luxuries can make you feel like royalty. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of personal pampering as the Moon enters your sensory-obsessed 2nd house. You’re allowed to touch, taste, smell, listen, and see all that you possibly can — in fact, the more beautiful satisfaction you find, the better. You don’t need to throw your money around like confetti in the name of good taste, but a little indulgence is deserved. Just remember your budget before making any purchase official.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You don’t have to get going just yet — first, sit down and take stock of yourself. The Moon is trotting into your measured sign to hit your reset button and freshen things up a bit. What do you want to achieve in the near future? Consider sitting down and planning the most important events you have over the next four weeks before the Moon returns to your sign. You don’t need to move mountains, but with a little strategizing, you can make impressive progress.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

There’s no need to rush into anything. As a matter of fact, you’ve got cosmic clearance to take the world on your terms as the Moon slips into your sleepy 12th house. Go ahead and take your feet off the pedals to just coast. Use this restful time to process any outstanding issues. That way, once the Moon enters your sign in a few days, you’ll be in the perfect mood to benefit from its intuition without being weighed down by any previous problems.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

There’s no need to face the world by yourself. The Moon is moving into your joint 11th house, putting an emphasis on linking up with acquaintances in order to make the most of the day. If you’ve been working away at a specific problem or project that doesn’t seem to be coming together in the way you want, consider asking other people for their feedback or constructive criticisms. Fresh eyes could identify something that, for you, is a blind spot.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Your goals are coming into sharper focus. You’ve got an extra push to make magic happen on the professional front as the Moon powers into your career sector, invigorating you to put the pedal to the metal and rush for the finish line. That isn’t to say you need to cross it immediately, but if you put in the effort, then you can certainly get a lot closer! Don’t sit back twiddling your thumbs when there is so much potential on offer.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Approach the day on a global scale, Capricorn. The Moon is entering your 9th House of Abstraction, encouraging you to broaden your search radius in your pursuit of whatever it is that you’re searching for. The best way to find it would be to go beyond your traditional boundaries. Accordingly, the LAST thing you should do is hide behind your limitations or restrictions. The universe itself wants you to shake them off, because freedom is waiting for you out there in the world!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

The game’s afoot, Aquarius! Life’s mysteries may seem temptingly solvable as the Moon sneaks into your extreme 8th house, where all the intensities of life reside. Secrets could be under every stone and around each corner. You may also feel more attuned to difficult subjects like death or other things people want to keep hidden. While it’s alright if you delve into them, do so with a sense of respect and sensitivity — or you might upset loved ones along the way.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Someone else can fill in the blanks for you today. It’s a good time to double up as the Moon enters your cooperative 7th house. Even if you normally prefer to handle life by yourself, this isn’t the moment for that. Your buddy may be a friend, a significant other, or a colleague. Regardless, what’s truly important is that you create a good team. When you work well with others, few obstacles can stand for long between your group and success!

DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Jennings passed for three touchdowns and Kobe Wilson returned one of three SMU interceptions 82 yards for a score as the Mustangs beat Florida State 42-16 on Saturday night before a sellout crowd in their ACC debut.

Jennings threw TD passes of 11 and 15 yards to RJ Maryland and a flea-flicker score of 42 yards to Jordan Hudson.

Jennings was 16-for-23 passing for 254 yards.

Wilson made the interception between the hash marks, raced to the right sideline, and broke a tackle and hurdled a teammate while escorted to the end zone.

Brashard Smith and Roderick Daniels Jr. scored rushing touchdowns for the Mustangs (4-1, 1-0) from 13 and 2 yards, respectively. Daniels’ score ended a drive that was continued when FSU’s Omarion Cooper was called for a facemask penalty on the Mustangs’ punt from their 26-yard line.

DJ Uiagalelei was 12-for-30 passing for 222 yards, three interceptions, and TD passes of 9 yards to Kentron Poitier and 20 yards to Landen Thomas for Florida State (1-4, 1-3). Uiagalelei was replaced by Brock Glenn in the final minutes.

The Seminoles also scored on a safety in the half’s closing seconds when, forcing a punt from SMU’s 9, long snapper Will Benton IV sailed the ball over the head of Isaac Pearson and beyond the end zone.

THE TAKEAWAY

Florida State continues to struggle on the ground. The Seminoles went into play averaging 67.75 rushing yards per game, the fourth fewest among FBS teams. They gained 75 on 26 attempts, averaging 2.9 yards per carry, and were led by Lawrence Toafili with 67 yards.

SMU leads FBS with five non-offensive touchdowns this season – two interception returns, two fumble returns and one punt return.

UP NEXT

Florida State will host Clemson, where Uiagalelei played his first three collegiate seasons before spending 2023 at Oregon State, on Oct. 5.

SMU will play the first of three consecutive ACC road games against Louisville on Oct. 5.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Pump the brakes.

Slow down.

Not so fast.

Not yet, UCF Knights.

Not even close.

Sorry to say, but you are just not ready for Prime Time.

Literally, figuratively, athletically.

Deion Sanders — the man who was once known as “Prime Time” but now prefers to be called “Coach Prime” — brought his Colorado team to his home state Saturday, dominated the Knights and left a big pile of Buffalo chips all over UCF’s coming-out party.

This was supposed to be UCF’s big day — a chance for the Knights to show the nation what they are all about; a chance to run the ball right down Coach Prime’s throat on national TV and set the stage for a possible run at a Big 12 championship. Instead, the Knights were overwhelmed 48-21 by a team that was picked to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 and was a two-touchdown underdog.

Let this soak in for a moment:

Gus Malzahn, coming off a bye week in preparation for one of the biggest home games in UCF history, got outcoached by Deion Sanders.

That’s right, the Gus Bus got run off the road by Coach Prime’s Buffalo stampede.

UCF coach Gus Malzahn leaves the field after his team was embarrassed at home by Colorado. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

This was the biggest bummer we’ve seen at UCF since, well, last season during what was supposed to be another festive day when the Knights blew a four-touchdown lead midway through the third quarter in their inaugural Big 12 home game against Baylor.

The Knights are becoming masters at killing the vibe and ruining their own parties.

This particular celebration started around 4 a.m. Saturday when fans started showing up for Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show, which didn’t go live until six hours later. By the time the lights came on at 10 a.m.,  there were thousands upon thousands of rowdy, raucous, sign-toting fans comprising what was said to be the largest crowd ever for Fox’s version of ESPN GameDay.

“That was the most legendary show I’ve ever been a part of,” Fox analyst Mark Ingram said when walking off the set of the Big Noon show.

“That was insanity,” fellow Fox analyst Matt Leinart said.

“The gnarliest, most awesome show we’ve ever had,” host Rob Stone added.

Cam Newton roams the sidelines during the Colorado-UCF game Saturday at FBC Mortgage Stadium. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

The stage was set for a wild victory celebration later on. Famous UCF alumni such as Brandon Marshall, Latavius Murray and Tacko Fall were there. Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and many of his players, including Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, were there. Former NFL stars Cam Newton and Terrell Owens were there. Famous entertainer, record producer and hype man DJ Khaled put on a show before the game.

Unfortunately for the Knights, they didn’t take one of Khaled’s most famous songs — “All I Do Is Win” — to heart. Instead, it was the Buffs who marched into the Bounce House and did their own version of another Khaled hit, “We Takin’ Over.”

As if Coach Prime doesn’t already get enough hype and hoopla, he came into Orlando, stole the show and, of course, took aim at his perceived critics afterward.

“Ain’t nobody want to see us win, you know that,” Sanders said when asked if his team got extra motivation from being a two-touchdown underdog. “Ain’t nobody nationally wants to see us get down.”

Colorado cornerback DJ MkKinney dances on UCF after an interception Saturday at FBC Mortgage Stadium. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

The Buffaloes did, in fact, get down while UCF did, in fact, fall down. Malzahn talked before the game about “seizing the moment.” Instead, UCF shrank in the moment and withered in the spotlight. The Knights could not have picked a worse time to have their bubble burst for all the world to see.

UCF had more recruits at this game than it has ever had in its history.  This was a chance to make an indelible impression on many of the best prospects in the state and persuade them that UCF — as Malzahn likes to say — truly is “the future of college football.”

“I’m really disappointed for our fans,” Malzahn said. “We didn’t get it done. We get outcoached and outplayed.”

But why?

How?

What happened?

What happened to UCF’s vaunted running game, which was the nation’s No. 1 rushing attack with an average of 376 yards per game? Against Colorado’s previously porous defense, UCF managed just 43 rushing yards in the first half and finished with 177.

What happened to UCF’s discipline and attention to detail? The Knights were whistled for four personal foul penalties that contributed to 17 of Colorado’s points. Meanwhile, they committed four more crucial turnovers, including quarterback KJ Jefferson thwarting a touchdown chance early in the game by throwing an end-zone interception and committing a game-clinching fumble late that the Buffaloes returned 95 yards for a touchdown.

Give Coach Prime and his team credit. Deion’s son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, completed 28 of 35 passes for 290 yards and 3 touchdowns. Two-way star Travis Hunter had 9 catches on nine targets for 89 yards and a TD and also had a diving interception that came complete with a Heisman pose.

Not yet, UCF.

Not even close.

The lights were bright, the crowd was loud, but in the end, Gus Malzahn and his Knights were left in the immense shadow of Prime Time.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen

It is going to be a long day for Cal fans and Hurricanes fans who make the trip to the Bay Area.

ESPN’s College GameDay is headed to Berkeley, California, for the Hurricanes’ road game against the Bears next week, the network announced Saturday night. It is the first time the popular pregame show has been broadcast from Cal’s campus.

Miami and Cal will kick off at 7:30 p.m. local time, which is 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time. College GameDay starts its broadcast at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, which is 6 a.m. in California.

The Hurricanes have not been featured on College GameDay since Oct. 10, 2020, when the popular show went to Clemson for UM’s road game against the Tigers. Miami suffered a 42-17 loss in that game.

College GameDay last went to Miami for a UM home game on Sept. 26, 2020, when the Hurricanes blew out Florida State.

Miami is 15-9 all-time when their game is the featured game on College GameDay.

The Hurricanes are undefeated following a narrow victory over Virginia Tech and are currently ranked in the top 10. Cal, in its first year in the ACC, is 3-1 and had a surprise road win over Auburn before narrowly falling to Florida State.

Berkeley, for the FIRST TIME EVER, we're headed your way!

College GameDay is coming to town as Cal welcomes top-10 Miami

BOCA RATON — CJ Campbell Jr. rushed for two touchdowns and Florida Atlantic broke the game open in the second half to beat Wagner 41-10 on Saturday night.

Campbell rushed for 145 yards on 15 carries and Omari Hayes had 137 yards receiving on six catches. Cam Francher and Kasen Weisman split quarterbacking duties and combined for 16-of-24 passing for 248 yards with no touchdowns and an interception apiece.

Campbell and Zuberi Mobley ran for touchdowns when the Owls (2-3) went out in front 17-0 only to see the FCS Seahawks (2-3) rally on Jake Cady’s 6-yard TD pass to Chase Stafford and get within 17-10 by halftime.

FAU pulled away with three rushing touchdowns in the second half.

Cady was 11-of-30 passing for 112 yards and a score.

By TIM REYNOLDS

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi moved Inter Miami another step closer to the No. 1 seed for the MLS Cup playoffs.

And the MLS single-season points record remains in the club’s reach as well.

Messi scored in the 67th minute and Inter Miami pushed its unbeaten streak to eight straight Major League Soccer matches with a 1-1 tie against Charlotte FC on Saturday night. It was Messi’s 15th goal in 16 league matches this season.

The tie, combined with Columbus’ 2-2 draw with D.C. United on Saturday, left Inter Miami eight points clear of the Crew for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Inter Miami is also seven points up on the LA Galaxy for the No. 1 overall seed in the MLS playoffs.

Inter Miami plays at Columbus on Wednesday, and a win would wrap up the No. 1 seed in the East. Inter Miami (19-4-8) has 65 points with three matches left; Columbus (16-5-9) has 57 points with four matches remaining.

If Inter Miami wins out, it will finish with 74 points — one more than the MLS record of 73 set by New England in 2021.

D.C. United helped Inter Miami a bit on Saturday. Columbus led 2-1 late in the second half but surrendered the tying goal in the 81st minute; otherwise, the Crew could have been two points closer to Inter Miami in the standings and made Wednesday’s match far more interesting.

Messi’s goal was his typical brilliance. He took a pass near the top of the penalty box, dribbling once and threading his natural left-footed shot between four defenders and into the net to tie the match.

It came 10 minutes after Charlotte (11-11-9, 42 points, seventh in the East) struck first, with Karol Swiderski deflecting a shot into the net.

But Messi answered, and Inter Miami had to settle for its third consecutive draw. The team is 5-0-3 in its last eight league matches and 9-1-3 in MLS play since June 1.

There were two great chances for Inter Miami in the final moments. Messi lobbied for a shot at the gamewinner in the 10th minute of stoppage time, after getting taken down near the top of the penalty area. No foul was called, and about two minutes later, Luis Suarez somehow missed from point-blank range on the final play of the match.

The match was the next-to-last of the home regular season slate for Inter Miami. After the showdown at Columbus on Wednesday, the club goes to Toronto on Oct. 5 and then wraps up the 34-match schedule at home against New England on Oct. 19.

Inter Miami will open the playoffs at home the following weekend.

___

AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer

As the pressure closed in on Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado quarterback spun away and scrambled to his left before lofting a pass over UCF defenders and into the hands of his standout receiver, Travis Hunter, for a 38-yard gain.

Time and time again, when the Knights thought they had contained Sanders, the senior would evade the pressure, frustrating the defense.

UCF’s defense can’t catch up with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who scrambles away en route to completing 28 of 35 passes Saturday for 290 yards and 3 TDs. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

UCF had no answers for Sanders and Hunter as the Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) stampeded over the Knights for a 48-21 win Saturday, ruining the school’s otherwise magical day.

“They outplayed and outcoached us and they’re a good team,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said following the game. “I’m real disappointed for our fans. They brought it today. We talked about seizing the moment. We didn’t get it done.”

A record number of students showed up as Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show broadcast live from Memory Mall earlier in the day. The raucous crowd was on hand for the two-hour show featuring Grammy Award-winning musician DJ Khaled.

Nick Saban isn’t wrong when he says it’s a Gator problem, not a Napier problem | Commentary

Even inclement weather couldn’t spoil the mood. The start of the game was pushed back 50 minutes as rain sent the sellout crowd scrambling for cover and players back to the locker rooms at the Bounce House.

Once the game started, however, it became clear that UCF (3-1, 1-1 Big 12) couldn’t match up with Colorado’s superstars.

Sanders finished 28 of 35 for 290 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 23-yard score to Hunter to start the scoring.

Buffs coach Deion Sanders, who entered FBC Mortgage Stadium as the underdog, is fired up as he watches his team compile 418 yards and average more yards per carry than run-dominant UCF. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

Hunter, who plays receiver and defensive back, finished with a game-high 9 catches for 89 yards. He also recorded his second interception of the season when he picked off KJ Jefferson midway through the third quarter. After the play, he raced toward the student section, where he struck the Heisman Trophy pose.

“They were able to extend drives and make the plays downfield that they needed to make to continue drives,” said fifth-year linebacker Ethan Barr, who finished with a team-high 8 tackles. “There are definitely things we can improve on.”

The loss snapped the Knights’ three-game win streak. They were looking to go 4-0 for the first time since 2018.

Jefferson finished with a season-high 284 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also had a fumble late in the fourth quarter that Colorado returned 95 yards for a touchdown.

“I didn’t protect the ball, so I take full responsibility for it, and that’s an area that I have to improve on,” said Jefferson. “Playing the quarterback position, the ball is touching my hand on every snap, so being able to give my team the best chance of winning is protecting the ball.”

RJ Harvey saw his streak of five straight 100-yard rushing games end after being held to a season-low 77 yards. Harvey did have a season-high 92 yards receiving, highlighted by a 75-yard touchdown catch in the first half.

UCF travels to Gainesville for an instate matchup with Florida next Saturday (7:45 p.m., SEC Network).

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

UCF at Florida

When: 7:45, Saturday, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

TV: SEC Network

By IAN HARRISON

TORONTO (AP) — Dane Myers hit a three-run homer and finished with a career-high five RBIs, Griffin Conine had three hits and an RBI and the Miami Marlins claimed a series against Toronto for the first time since 2009 with an 8-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday.

Miami’s Jesús Sánchez scored three runs for the second straight game.

Bench coach Luis Urueta managed the Marlins in the next-to-last game of the season after manager Skip Schumaker returned home to California because of a family medical issue.

“I know he was watching,” said Urueta, who will also handle Sunday’s season finale.

Myers was activated off the 60-day injured list Tuesday. He fractured his left ankle when he kicked a door out of frustration after being ejected in a 10-6 loss at Cincinnati on July 13.

“I’m so happy for him, especially what he’s been through the last two months,” Urueta said. “To be able to come here today and do what he did, it’s pretty cool.”

Myers said it was tough being on the sidelines while injured.

“Sitting in the hotel watching the boys play was tough,” he said. “I think the mental rehab was a little bit harder than the physical rehab.”

Xzavion Curry (2-2) allowed one run and two hits in five innings in his first start with Miami, which won its third straight.

“Outstanding job,” Urueta said of Curry. “He attacked the zone, threw strikes.”

Darren McCaughan pitched the final four innings and earned his second save in two chances.

Miami had been winless in its past eight series against Toronto, losing six and splitting two. The Marlins swept a three-game road series against the Blue Jays in June 2009.

The Marlins still may avoid the worst record in the National League. Saturday night, the Colorado Rockies lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-2 to fall to 61-100 as well. The Marlins would take a tiebreaker against Colorado, having won the season series 5-3.

Nathan Lukes hit his first career home run for the Blue Jays — a solo shot in the first inning — but Toronto lost for the ninth time in 11 games. The Blue Jays are 7-16 in September.

Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 0 for 4 with a strikeout to remain one hit shy of 200. Manager John Schneider said Guerrero might lead off Sunday.

Blue Jays starter Yariel Rodríguez (1-8) wrapped up his rookie season by losing his fifth straight decision.

“It’s not exactly the year that I really wanted,” Rodríguez said through a translator. “I know I can be better than that.”

The 27-year-old right-hander allowed three runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Both of Rodríguez’s walks came in the first, and both scored on two-out, RBI hits by Jonah Bride and Conine.

Lukes cut the deficit in half by homering off Curry in the bottom of the inning, but Miami added three more in the sixth. Myers hit a bases-loaded double off the top of the right field wall that chased reliever Brendon Little before Jhonny Pereda added an RBI single off Erik Swanson.

Myers homered off Génesis Cabrera in the eighth, his third of the season.

ROSTER MOVES

Blue Jays: Toronto recalled RHP Nick Robertson from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned LHP Easton Lucas to the Spring Training Complex.

UP NEXT

LHP Ryan Weathers (4-6, 3.81 ERA) is expected to start for Miami in Sunday’s season finale. The Blue Jays had not named a starter.

Today is Saturday, Sept. 28, the 272nd day of 2024. There are 94 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 28, 1928, Scottish medical researcher Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first effective antibiotic.

Also on this date:

In 1781, American forces in the Revolutionary War, backed by a French fleet, began their successful siege of Yorktown, Virginia.

In 1924, three U.S. Army planes landed in Seattle, having completed the first round-the-world trip by air in 175 days.

In 1941, Ted Williams became the most recent American League baseball player to hit over .400 for a season, batting .406 for the Boston Red Sox.

In 1962, a federal appeals court found Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett in civil contempt for blocking the admission of James Meredith, a Black student, to the University of Mississippi.

In 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat signed an accord at the White House ending Israel’s military occupation of West Bank cities and laying the foundation for a Palestinian state.

In 2000, capping a 12-year battle, the U.S. government approved use of the abortion pill RU-486.

In 2020, the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reached 1 million, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.

In 2022, Hurricane Ian barreled ashore in southwestern Florida as a massive Category 4 storm. About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate before the storm hit the coast with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 kph).

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor Brigitte Bardot is 90.
• Filmmaker John Sayles is 74.
• Football Hall of Famer Steve Largent is 70.
• Zydeco musician C.J. Chenier (sheh-NEER’) is 67.
• Hockey Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr is 62.
• Actor-comedian Janeane Garofalo (juh-NEEN’ guh-RAH’-fuh-loh) is 60.
• Actor Maria Canals-Barrera is 58.
• Actor Mira Sorvino is 57.
• Actor Naomi Watts is 56.
• Olympic gold medal swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg is 49.
• Rapper Jeezy is 47.
• Golf Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak is 47.
• Pop-rock singer St. Vincent is 42.
• Actor Hilary Duff is 37.
• Boxer Terence “Bud” Crawford is 37.
• Tennis player Marin Čilić is 36.
• Actor Keir Gilchrist is 32.

MIAMI GARDENS – In the moment, two groups of people waited out the six-minute replay gap Friday night that turned Virginia Tech’s Hail-Mary touchdown win into Miami’s Hail-Mario incompletion win.

There was the group that, like Miami quarterback Cam Ward felt, “pain” the Hurricanes left this game to be decided by referees looking at a replay.

Some in that group, like coach Mario Cristobal, turned the pain into a joke after the 38-34 win, saying he considered during the long wait the, “liability issues that come with cardiac problems from everyone watching.”

The second group was a smaller one: Me.

When Miami trampled Florida in its opener, I asked the much-asked question through the years, “Is Miami back?” I then wrote, “They’re so back.”

Onward and upward was my message for this season. But after four easy games, this sloppy Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium capped by this frantic finish, gave another view.

Look what Miami gave up at home: Three turnovers, 206 surrendered rushing yards and 34 surrendered points against 2-2 Virginia Tech, whose two wins came against Marshall and Old Dominion.

“I could sit here and talk about things we could’ve done better,’’ Cristobal said. “I don’t want to do that. This team the last 20 years found a way to lose that game like this one found a way to win it.”

Maybe that’s it. Maybe somewhere in those is the idea that lets Miami feel good about its night – or good enough at 5-0 and a No. 7 ranking to become better from the pain.

This was four hours of seismic shifts. Ward made big plays for both sides: throwing four touchdowns and two interceptions; fumbling on the first possession and then making so many plays on the final, touchdown drive that a fourth-and-three pass Xavier Restrepo caught while lying on the field just seemed part of the night’s menu

“God took care of that,’’ Restrepo said of the catch. “I slipped. When I looked up the ball was there.”

See how the night went? Ward then shook would-be tacklers and threw a 26-yard pass to the Virginia Tech 1-yard line. That set up the winning TD pass to Isaiah Horton.

But why it was the winning score was the story of the night. Virginia Tech had a final play at Miami’s 30-yard line, and quarterback Kyron Drones threw into the end zone.

A blob of players went up for the ball. Who came down with it? Was it Virginia’s Da’Quan Felton or Horton, the receiver turned 6-4 defender?

Horton came out with the ball. Miami celebrated. The referee signaled touchdown. Virginia Tech celebrated. To replay it went. Some, like ESPN analyst Andre Ware, “There wasn’t enough to overturn the call.”

The referees overturned it. “The loose ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds, which makes it an incomplete pass and immediately ends the play,’’ an ACC statement said.

So Miami won its conference opener, won the kind of game they didn’t want to play, won with Ward showing why he can be a top NFL draft pick and what he needs to get there.

Mainly, it won by losing its grip on the game in the second quarter and then coming back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve been doing this thing a couple years before this and I’ve seen this team flinch,’’ Cristobal said. “I didn’t see that tonight.”

Maybe it’s different. Maybe the idea holds: They’re back. There, celebrating the win in Miami’s locker room, Hurricane great Michael Irvin was pitching the idea.

“We are the Miami Hurricanes, and we’re back,’’ Irvin said on WQAM immediately after the game. “We’re all the back. You can’t get there without coming out of this kind of game – and we’re coming out the right way.”

That’s it. They’re so back. Just like I said. Irvin, then, piled on a bit, saying, “I’ve been crying. My eyes are red. I’m crying like a proud papa.”

This was 2-2 Virginia Tech. This was a replay away from being a bad loss. It wasn’t a night for tears. Maybe it’s the kind of game every great season survives, the kind as Cristobal says this team hasn’t won of late.

Or maybe the only truth was spoken by Ward, who asked about celebrating the win said he wasn’t celebrating. He said, “I don’t feel good about this win.”

 

WELLINGTON — Palm Beach Central junior quarterback Chance Routson passed for three touchdowns to lead the host Broncos past Jupiter 26-10 in a District 12-7A matchup on Friday night.

Palm Beach Central senior wide receivers Kamare Williams, Nedrick Boldin and Preston Parker each scored in the victory.

Palm Beach Central quarterback Chance Routson (16) drops back to pass against Jupiter. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).

The teams were locked in a 10-10 tie at halftime, but Palm Beach Central (4-1) scored on the opening possession of the third quarter and pulled away, holding the Warriors scoreless in the second half.

“We made the necessary adjustments and came out strong in the second half,” Palm Beach Central coach Kevin Thompson said. “It was a great job by our coaching staff. Chance is making some strides and we have made adjustments and he has really caught on and it’s working for him. Our defense needs to have that belief and we need to keep working. We still have a long way to go.”

Routson had a strong performance to lead the Broncos offense, which included a go-ahead 38-yard touchdown pass to Boldin in the third quarter.

“We got a talented team all over the field on offense and defense,” Routson said. “We have threats in every category of receiver. We are working on getting the ball out early to them and they go out and make a play. Jupiter is a great team. They’re very disciplined and have great coaches. I feel like our coaches did a good job with the play-calling and we did a good job of executing what we saw.”

Palm Beach Central takes the field to play Jupiter. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).

Palm Beach Central’s defense forced a punt to begin the contest. The Broncos offense opened the scoring on their second play on the ensuing drive. Routson connected with Williams for a 58-yard touchdown down the right sideline to make it 7-0.

Jupiter (4-1) failed to convert on fourth-and-2 at the Broncos 26-yard line on the ensuing drive.

Jupiter made a big play early in the second quarter to tie the score. Junior quarterback Andrew Embick fired a 59-yard scoring pass to senior running back Chris Vanhorn down the right sideline with 11:49 left in the first half.

Palm Beach Central senior kicker Ethan Dagostino drilled a 46-yard field goal to make it 10-7 with 7:02 left in the second quarter.

Jupiter stepped up on special teams with a fake punt near midfield late in the first half. Senior Ryan Senecal took the direct snap and tossed a pass over the middle of the field to senior Reagan Fowle to the Broncos 17-yard line. The Warriors settled for a 30-yard field goal by senior kicker Brogan Woeber to tie the score.

Palm Beach Central marched downfield on the opening series of the second half. Routson fired a pass over the middle of the field to Boldin for a 38-yard score as the Broncos jumped ahead 17-10 with 8:13 left in the third quarter.

Palm Beach Central stepped up with a blocked punt as the ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety on the play with 1:59 left in the third quarter.

Maths Gibson (0) of Palm Beach Central gets upended by Nick Bothe (13) of Jupiter in the first half. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).

Routson had a 12-yard pass to Parker in the right corner of the end zone with 3:30 left to push the lead to 26-10.

Junior Emmanuel Toussaint recorded an interception near the goal line with 36 seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Broncos.

Jupiter entered the game unbeaten and had allowed just 19 combined points through the first four games.

“Credit goes out to them,” Jupiter coach Jason Kradman said. “It’s a great battle. I don’t think we’re 16 points away. I think we’re super close. As a young team, we made some mistakes and had some inconsistencies over the first few weeks and it did not come back to bite us because we were able to overcome it and we were better I think than a couple of those teams. Then, this week in an evenly matched game, those mistakes cost us. We’re a young team overall. I thought our defense played really well again. Our guys were in position to make plays and there guys just made them.”

Chris Vanhorn (4) of Jupiter looks for running room against Palm Beach Central in the first half. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).

 

SOUTHWEST RANCHES — Archbishop McCarthy punched nationally ranked Miami Norland in the mouth early, but the visiting Vikings secured the knockout behind sophomore QB Mason Hall’s four touchdowns in a 49-16 thumping in the District 15-4A game opener for both teams on Friday night.

Hall, who finished the game 21 for 29 for 355 yards, shook off two early interceptions and a 9-0 Mavericks’ lead to hand Archbishop McCarthy (4-1) its first loss in 14 games dating back to last season.

Miami Norland (4-1), the nation’s No. 50-ranked team, according to MaxPreps, rebounded from a 45-20 loss to Chaminade-Madonna.

Archbishop McCarthy drew first blood on the first Norland series. With the Vikings backed up to their own 4-yard line, sophomore defensive tackle Samuel Boatwright sacked Hall in the end zone for a safety with 9:29 remaining in the first quarter.

The Mavericks extended the lead to 9-0 on a 1-yard run by junior running back Mahki Vance, but lost junior quarterback Robert Kerns for the game on the series with an ankle injury.

The score was set up on the first of two interceptions by junior safety David Howard, this one at the Vikings’ 26. Kerns ran for 18 yards to the 8 and sophomore running back Damien Grant took it to the 2. Kerns was injured on that play and left the game with 16.8 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Vance scored off right tackle for the 9-0 lead with 13.2 seconds left.

Miami Norland rallied with two TD throws by Hall — to Jayden Phipps from 17 yards out and Brayden Brant for a 39-yard scoring toss. Hall, who was 11 of 15 in the first half for 165 yards, ran in the two-point conversion to take a 14-9 halftime lead in the first half that was played in a steady rain during the second quarter.

Miami Norland tacked on three scores early in the third to break open a close game.

Hall pitched his third TD of the night to make it 21-9 on a 29-yard laser to sophomore Ji’Koi Highsmith and on the ensuing Mavericks series, senior quarterback Ronnie Borz threw a pick-six to Jayden Daniels who returned it 53 yards for a 28-9 lead.

Another interception by Miami Norland’s senior Calerbre Dumerin and a 47-yard return set up Hall’s fourth touchdown of the game, again to Highsmith from 16 yards out for a 35-9 advantage.

Archbishop McCarthy picked up its final score on a 19-yard TD pass from Borz to junior Kendall Brown with 4.3 seconds left in the third to trim it to 35-16.

Omar Jefferies added a 55-yard scoring run and Kai Moore added a 6-yard TD throw to Jamari Smith to close out the scoring for Norland.

 

 

General Daily Insight for September 28, 2024

There’s wisdom in being open-minded. The Moon in Leo starts out with a supportive sextile to expansive Jupiter in Gemini, encouraging us to notice the possibilities on offer. We may feel more capable of healing, emotionally or physically, when the Moon trines Chiron at 1:38 pm EDT. There’s a lot of goodness to be found when we step outside of our usual comfort zones! Lastly, the Moon will square rebel Uranus, making it all but impossible to follow the straight and narrow path.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

A little self-expression can do wonders. The Moon is bounding through your excitable 5th house, making this the perfect time to put your talents on display. Plus, Luna’s unique trine to Chiron in your bright sign should make any artistic efforts prove extremely cathartic. You don’t need to actively engage in art therapy to get these results, either — merely shaking off some expectations and letting your creativity run wild you can absolutely do both your mind and body a world of good.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

It’s the perfect moment to let something go. You may be a bit more prone to sitting in your feelings while the Moon moves along through your 4th House of Sentiment, but there is positivity on offer when the Moon trines Chiron in your 12th House of Finality. This transit wants you to actively work on removing and releasing old feelings and habits which no longer serve you. As a result, you should end the day feeling much lighter, ready to begin your next chapter.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

It’s important to connect with others at the moment. You’re in a chatty frame of mind while the Moon moves through your 3rd House of Acquaintances, but that energy grows to cover a much wider swathe when the Moon trines Chiron in your 11th House of Humanity. Someone you meet could feel like the missing link in your life, or perhaps an old acquaintance will appear to bring a breath of fresh air in their wake. This is no time to hide away!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Professional breakthroughs are possible when you’re willing to try. A positive trine between the Moon in your income sector and Chiron in your career sector means that you can move past outdated ways of thinking and feeling about your goals. The solution might be found by solely tending to the work in front of you and finding the proper flow that feels right for you. Don’t worry about living up to others’ expectations! Your finish line is the only one to worry about.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

It’s time to look beyond your day-to-day boundaries. The Moon is in your expressive sign, putting you in touch with your emotions. Those feelings may take flight as the Moon trines Chiron in your 9th House of Culture! Instead of going around in circles and dealing with the same-old, same-old, make a point to bring newness into your life, whatever that means to you. You could be pleasantly surprised by how much an added dose of spice does for your emotional state.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Take your hands off the steering wheel, Virgo. You’re prone to calling the shots as often as possible, but the planets are asking that you step back from the control panel as the Moon in your karmic 12th house aligns with Chiron in your transformational 8th house. The more you attempt to control the outcome in any situation, the more you may find yourself up against a wall. Allow trusted others to drive, and you’ll probably see that they have your best interests at heart.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

One person could stand out from the herd today. It’s the perfect moment to go socialize while the Moon tours your 11th House of Groups, while its trine to Chiron in your 7th House of Partners will shine a light on one or two particular people who mean the world to you. This person could say or do something that has a wonderful impact on you. They may not even realize how positive they are, so be sure to show your gratitude.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Sometimes in order to achieve something big, you must first do something small. Today is all about getting organized and optimizing your efficiency as the Moon in your motivated 10th house cheers on Chiron in your disciplined 6th house. Instead of thinking about how many mountains you have yet to climb, narrow your focus to simply moving your feet forward — one step at a time. It will take longer to reach your destination if you are constantly fixated on the finish line.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Dive into life and swim around a bit! There has rarely been a better day to enjoy yourself as the Moon in your inspirational 9th house strengthens Chiron in your jubilant 5th house. Chiron is all about healing, so under this particular combination, there really is a major planetary emphasis on finding the solution to your problems by immersing yourself in pleasurable experiences. The 5th house also governs children, so doing something you loved doing when you were young should be perfect.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Your emotions are meant to be felt, not ignored. Of course, there isn’t much of a chance that you’ll be able to ignore them as the Moon in your 8th House of Vulnerability opens up to Chiron in your 4th House of Inner Needs. Someone or something will likely spur you on to let loose! The more you try to bottle things up, the more the planets will encourage you to let things out, so don’t waste time ignoring this important activity.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Someone has something to tell you! A special trine between the Moon in your relationship sector and Chiron in your communications sector is making it more important than ever that you keep an open dialogue with the people in your life. The reason for this is that there’s a chance for you to work through any issues that have been plaguing you for a while. The ideal way to work through them would be discussing them with someone you trust. Their opinion could be eye-opening.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

There’s no need to overthink everything. The Moon in your 6th House of Improvement is making a harmonious trine to Chiron in your 2nd House of Manifestation, showing you that currently, the best way forward is the simplest way forward. Even if you love to jazz things up with bells and whistles, at least try stepping back and allowing things to exist in their most basic state — it should spark less friction. Basic doesn’t mean bad in this case, just uncomplicated.

By TIM REYNOLDS

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Officials declared what would have been a winning, final-play touchdown by Virginia Tech an incomplete pass after a lengthy review of the final play, and No. 7 Miami escaped with a 38-34 win in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams on Friday night.

The last snap came from the Miami 30 with 3 seconds remaining. Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones dropped back 11 yards and lofted the ball toward the left corner of the end zone. Awaiting it were no fewer than seven players, and five wound up in the scrum for the ball.

Officials originally determined that Da’Quan Felton made the catch and Virginia Tech stormed the field in celebration. After a long review, referee Jerry Magallanes — the same referee who worked the Miami-Duke game in 2015 where he and other officials were suspended two games for “a series of errors” on the play where the Hurricanes used eight laterals to win as time expired — announced the call was overturned.

“I saw an incomplete pass,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “That’s all I can say.”

Predictably, the view from the other sideline was different.

“That’s a tough one right there. The way that game ended, I hope they got that call right,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “To take that, to overturn it, take it from our kids, our coaches, our fans, I hope they got it right.”

In a statement, the ACC said the pass was ultimately ruled incomplete because the ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds.

“During the review process of the last play of the Virginia Tech at Miami game, it was determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds which makes it an incomplete pass and immediately ends the play,” the statement said.

Cam Ward found Isaiah Horton with a 1-yard touchdown pass with 1:57 left for what became the winning score for the Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0). Ward threw for 343 yards and four touchdowns for Miami, which trailed by double digits on three separate occasions — the last of those when the Hokies went up 34-24 with 12:05 left.

Drones threw two touchdown passes, while Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 141 yards and another score for Virginia Tech (2-3, 0-1). The Hokies fell to 1-10 since the start of 2022 in games decided by seven points or less.

John Love had field goals of 52 and 57 yards for Virginia Tech. The Hokies turned three Miami turnovers into 14 points and seemed poised to knock off a team ranked 7th or higher in the AP Top 25 for the first time since Oct. 2, 2004 — a 19-13 win over then-No. 6 West Virginia.

On the go-ahead drive, Miami escaped disaster — twice. Xavier Restrepo fell down on a fourth-and-3 play with the ball already headed his way, and he somehow caught it while on the ground to extend the possession.

“I slipped. Things happen. Cam gave me a chance,” Restrepo said.

Said Ward: “That’s a routine play for him.”

And on first down a couple minutes later, Ward was getting dragged down by Virginia Tech’s Keyshawn Burgos for what looked like a certain sack.

Except it wasn’t. Ward got free of that tackle, broke another and flipped the ball to Riley Williams for what became a 26-yard gain to the 1-yard line, something that even drew praise from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The Hurricanes scored a play later, and the ball — or the call — bounced their way on the final play.

“I didn’t think there was enough evidence to overturn it,” Pry said. “Like I said, I hope they got it right.”

The takeaway

Virginia Tech: The Hokies surely will question kicking the ball deep with 20 seconds left in the half after Love’s 57-yard field goal and giving Miami time to score three points of its own — along with a fake field goal that Miami’s Malik Bryant snuffed out in the second half. Had the Hokies taken the three points there, all they would have needed on the final drive was another field goal and not a touchdown.

Miami: Love’s 57-yarder was followed by another long one from Miami’s Andy Borregales, who connected on a 56-yard field goal — a career-best — to end the first half and get the Hurricanes within 24-17 at the break. “A very big play,” Cristobal said.

Poll implications

Miami escaped what would have been a damaging loss in the AP Top 25 when the poll gets updated on Sunday. The Hurricanes should remain in the Top 10.

Up next

Virginia Tech: Visit Stanford on Oct. 5.

Miami: Visit Cal on Oct. 5.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

By IAN HARRISON

TORONTO — Xavier Edwards had the first three-triple game in the majors since 2014, Jonah Bride homered twice and the Miami Marlins set a season high in runs by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 15-5 on Friday night.

Edwards hit a sharp grounder down the right-field line for a triple in the second inning, got another three-bagger in the fourth on a fly ball to the gap in right-center and hit a line drive in the seventh that one-hopped the wall in right for his third triple. He became the first Marlins player with three triples in a game and finished 4 for 6 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

“I was confident in all three of them,” Edwards said. “I didn’t hesitate.”

Midway through the game, the Marlins announced that manager Skip Schumaker would miss the final two games because of a family medical issue. Bench coach Luis Urueta will lead the team this weekend.

Schumaker said he told the players about his upcoming absence in an “emotional” team meeting after batting practice.

Marlins slugger Jake Burger called Schumaker “one of the best in the biz.” Schumacher’s contract expires at the end of the season.

“He helped with a lot of stuff, not only on the field but off the field,” Burger said.

Edwards said he was grateful to Schumaker for giving him his first taste of regular playing time.

“Great person, great manager, great baseball mind,” Edwards said. “I love playing for Skip.”

Marlins outfielder Griffin Conine homered against the team that drafted him in 2018 and drove in three runs.

Bride hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a solo blast in the eighth, his 11th of the season, in the first multi-homer game of his career.

Burger had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Jesús Sánchez scored three times as the Marlins racked up 17 hits, including one against position player Tyler Heineman in the ninth inning.

Adam Oller (2-4) came in 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in four September starts but snapped his losing streak by allowing four runs and eight hits in five innings. Oller walked two and struck out three.

The Marlins didn’t arrive at their Toronto hotel until after 5 a.m. EDT following a 13-inning win at Minnesota on Thursday night, but they didn’t show any signs of fatigue against the Blue Jays.

Sánchez opened the scoring with an RBI double off José Berríos in the first and Bride followed with a drive to left.

Edwards’ two-run triple in the second made it 5-0, and Sánchez scored on a wild pitch in the third.

“I think we’re all running off a lot of adrenaline tonight,” Edwards said.

Berríos (16-11) allowed six runs and six hits in three innings in his final start of the season, as many runs as he’d allowed in his previous five starts combined. The right-hander lost his second straight start after winning the previous seven.

“Frustrating that that’s his last outing for the year,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Tonight he just didn’t really have his stuff.”

Ernie Clement homered for Toronto, his 12th. The Blue Jays dropped to 7-15 in September.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2 for 4 with an RBI. He has 199 hits, the second-highest total in the majors behind Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Miami: Placed RHP Declan Cronin (left knee) on the 15-day injured list and activated RHP Mike Baumann from the paternity list.

UP NEXT

RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-7, 4.41 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday. The Marlins had not named a starter.

As host of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff,  Rob Stone has visited some premier college football environments.

He’s seen the iconic venues of Big Ten country such as the Horseshoe at Ohio State or the Big House at Michigan to the rolling hills surrounding West Virginia and the stockyards near TCU in the Big 12.

But the show has never been to the Sunshine State — until this week, when it will broadcast live from Memory Mall on the UCF campus. The Knights host Colorado at FBC Mortgage Stadium at 3:30 p.m.

“It’s about time we came to Florida,” Stone told the Orlando Sentinel this week. “It’s about time we get to promote some of these other brands in college football besides the typical ones we see every Saturday.

“There’s so much more to college football than just Ohio States, the Michigans, the Texas and Alabamas and the Floridas. You need to remember that all these other programs are part of this great fabric of college football, making it arguably the greatest sport on our planet.”

This is the second time UCF has hosted a nationally televised pregame show.

ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast live from campus as a precursor to the Knights’ top 25 matchup with Cincinnati on Nov. 17, 2018. UCF won 38-13 and eventually won its second straight American Athletic Conference title, earning a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.

Nearly six years later, UCF is in its second season in the Big 12.

Broadcasting from a new location allows the show to reach a new audience.

Step aside, Deion, this is UCF’s ‘Primetime’ moment | Commentary

“It’s always good for us to get to a new location and spread our gospel,” said Stone. “We’re still kind of infants in this game, and we like getting out and seeing new places.”

The two-hour show, which airs from 10 a.m.-noon, has been on the air for six seasons and features a college experts panel of Matt Leinart (USC), Brady Quinn (Notre Dame), Mark Ingram (Alabama) and Urban Meyer (Utah, Florida and Ohio State).

All three have deep ties to the game, with Leinart, Ingram, and Meyer having won a collective five national championships and two Heisman Trophies.

“It’s super humbling for me and the ego gets packed away,” Stone said of his castmates. “There is no ego on the set when you’re surrounded by national title winners Heisman Trophy winners, Mr. Notre Dame Brady Quinn. They’re all down-to-earth guys who love what they do and adore the sport.”

Reporters Bruce Feldman and Tom Rinaldi, and wagering expert Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica provide additional coverage.

With the game against Colorado already sold out, a large crowd is expected to pack Memory Mall to catch the show. Grammy-winning musician DJ Khaled also will perform to add to the excitement.

“Let’s be honest. This is a two-hour commercial for UCF and the Big 12 and to a lesser point, Colorado as well,” said Stone.

The idea of UCF possibly hosting the show began a few weeks ago but was finalized after Colorado’s overtime win over Baylor. According to Rob Mikulicka, Fox’s director of remote studio operations, Orlando was among a handful of locations considered.

Mikulicka even spent time on campus last week, scouting possible locations to set up and meeting with school officials. Once it was determined that UCF would be the site, he was on a plane to Orlando on Monday morning.

“We were pinching ourselves and saying, ‘Can you believe we’re in Florida?’ We never thought we’d be able to do that,” said Mikulicka.

If UCF can ‘seize the moment’ on national stage vs. Colorado, that can pay dividends with recruits, too

This is the farthest south that the show has traveled.

Mikulicka and a crew of approximately 135 people began setting up the studio site while monitoring the path of an oncoming hurricane.

“Pivoting is a keyword for Big Noon Kickoff, but definitely, a hurricane was a new one,” said Mikulicka. “We went back to the drawing board of our plan and said what we could do safely up until the end of last night.”

Mikulicka spent time with the local weather center to gauge the storm’s impact.

While Central Florida wasn’t in Hurricane Helene’s direct path, increasing rain and wind gusts forced the crew to postpone work Thursday.

“We’ve dealt with weather. In week one, in Morgantown [West Virginia], we had about 50 to 60 mile-an-hour wind gusts that would pop up out of nowhere,” said Mikulicka. “So, on five minutes’ notice, we had to batten down the hatches. We have a lot of stuff, so we must ensure we’re safe.”

Weather aside, everyone associated with the show is expected to be a big crowd.

“They told me there are 8,000-10,000 fans [in Memory Mall] on gameday,” said Mikulicka. “We went back and watched [ESPN’s College GameDay], a previous show here, and the energy was insane. The 70,000 students are a huge bonus, and they don’t do these types of things often. So, we thought this would be the perfect place to step outside our normal playbook.”

Stone also sees Saturday’s show as the perfect opportunity for UCF to steal some of the spotlight from the state’s three big programs: Florida, Florida State and Miami.

“They’ve got a national two-hour pregame show coming to their town where their staff, university and student base can show off everything they have. I guarantee you that’s going to earn them a couple of recruits that will earn them some wins down the [line] and it might earn them a win on Saturday.”

Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com

Up next …

UCF vs. Colorado

3:30 p.m., Saturday, FBC Mortgage

TV: WOFL-35

GULFPORT, Miss. — A South Florida financial adviser has been indicted in an alleged scheme to promote and operate an illegal tax shelter through which he stole some of his clients’ funds, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Stephen T. Mellinger III, of Delray Beach, conspired with several others to defraud the Internal Revenue Service in 2013 by promoting an illegal tax shelter, according to the indictment returned Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Gulfport, Mississippi, and unsealed Thursday.

Mellinger was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering. If convicted of all charges, he could be sentenced to up to 68 years behind bars.

Court documents did not list an attorney for Mellinger who could speak on his behalf. An arraignment date has not been set.

Mellinger allegedly instructed his clients participating in the tax shelter to transfer money to a company he or his co-conspirators controlled in the amount they wished to claim as a deduction on their tax returns. The conspirators then returned the money to a bank account that clients controlled, subtracting a percentage fee that they charged for their services, according to the indictment.

Mellinger allegedly earned more than $3 million in fees from the shelter.

In addition, in 2016, the federal government seized funds from some of Mellinger’s clients who were engaged in a scheme to defraud health care benefit programs, including TRICARE, the U.S. Department of Defense’s health care benefit program, according to the indictment.

Mellinger conspired with a relative to take advantage of the seizure to steal some of the money that those clients had transferred and then laundered the money, according to the indictment.

Ultimately, he used some of the stolen funds to buy a home in Delray Beach, the indictment said.

By SCOTT BAUER, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Friday that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name will remain on the state’s presidential ballot, upholding a lower court’s ruling that candidates can only be removed from the ballot if they die.

The unanimous decision from the liberal-controlled court marks the latest twist in Kennedy’s quest to get his name off ballots in key battleground states where the race between Republican Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is close. Kennedy’s attorney in Wisconsin, Joseph Bugni, declined to comment on the ruling.

The decision came after more than 418,000 absentee ballots have already been sent to voters. As of Thursday, nearly 28,000 had been returned, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

Kennedy suspended his campaign in August and endorsed Trump. Earlier this month a divided North Carolina Supreme Court kept him off the ballot there while the Michigan Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision and kept him on.

Kennedy filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin on Sept. 3 seeking a court order removing him from the ballot. He argued that third-party candidates are discriminated against because state law treats them differently than Republicans and Democrats running for president.

He pointed out that Republicans and Democrats have until 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday in September before an election to certify their presidential nominee but that independent candidates like himself can only withdraw before an Aug. 6 deadline for submitting nomination papers.

Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke ruled Sept. 16 that Wisconsin law clearly states that once candidates file valid nomination papers, they remain on the ballot unless they die. The judge added that many election clerks had already sent ballots out for printing with Kennedy’s name on them.

Bugni had argued that clerks could cover his name with stickers, the standard practice when a candidate dies. Ehlke rejected that idea, saying it would be a logistical nightmare for clerks and that it is not clear whether the stickers would gum up tabulating machines. He also predicted lawsuits if clerks failed to completely cover Kennedy’s name or failed to affix a sticker on some number of ballots.

The Supreme Court’s four liberal justices along with conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn wrote that Kennedy’s arguments weren’t developed enough for them to decide whether Ehlke erroneously exercised his discretion in keeping Kennedy on the ballot. They noted that Kennedy didn’t argue that Ehlke misinterpreted the law that says only dead candidates can be removed from the ballot.

“We emphasize that we are not making any legal determinations on our own regarding the claims made by Kennedy and we are not agreeing with the circuit court’s legal conclusions on those claims. We simply are unable to make such determinations, given the inadequate briefing presented to us,” the five justices wrote in six-page opinion.

Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote in a one-page concurrence that while she doesn’t disagree with the five other justices that Kennedy’s arguments were underdeveloped, keeping Kennedy on the ballot will confuse voters and could tilt the outcome of the election.

“Voters may cast their ballots in favor of a candidate who withdrew his candidacy, thereby losing their right to cast a meaningful vote,” she wrote. “Ballots listing a non-candidate mislead voters and may skew a presidential election. In this case, the damage to voter participation in electoral democracy is real.”

The court’s third conservative, Annette Ziegler, joined Bradley’s concurrence.

The presence of independent and third-party candidates on the ballot could be a key factor in Wisconsin, where four of the past six presidential elections have been decided by between about 5,700 to 23,000 votes.

In 2016, Green Party nominee Jill Stein got just over 31,000 votes in Wisconsin — more than Trump’s winning margin of just under 23,000 votes. Some Democrats blamed her for helping Trump win the state and the presidency that year.