Herausforderungen » back on track after nearly a decade of losing

MIAMI -- The Marlins walked half a block alongside a hearse carrying their ace away from Marlins Park at the start of a funeral motorcade Wednesday, and then peeled away with watery eyes to go back inside and play a game.Drained by four days of grieving Jose Fernandezs death, they didnt have much left for the New York Mets.Jay Bruce hit his 32nd home run, James Loney also homered and the Mets helped their NL wild-card chances by beating Miami 5-2.It was tough to have a ton of emotion out there, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. I think our guys did the best they possibly could. Its just hard to make up emotion. It was just a rough game to play, to be honest.New York opened a 1 1/2-game lead over San Francisco for the NLs top wild card, with St. Louis one game behind the Giants. The Mets conclude the regular season with three games at Philadelphia starting Friday.The Marlins loss in their home finale eliminated them from playoff contention. Despite high hopes this year, they still havent been to the postseason since 2003.That was the last thing on their minds five hours before first pitch. They wore T-shirts reading RIP while clustering around the limousine carrying Fernandezs casket to church for a viewing. Spectators, including Mets players and manager Terry Collins, lined the start of the route.It was terrible, Miami pitcher Tom Koehler said. I never thought Id have to be part of that. You have a 24-year-old who is on top of the world, and were walking behind his hearse. Were watching Miamis hero drive down the street.Added reliever Mike Dunn: You felt like you were pushing off your brother.Sympathetic as they are, the Mets are also in a tight wild-card race. Loney hit a two-run homer in the second, and Bruce added a two-run homer in the fifth off Jose Urena (4-9). Curtis Granderson went 4 for 4, and Jose Reyes doubled home a run.The Mets won the final two games of the series after losing an emotion-filled opener Monday.We made as much a tribute to Jose as we could without getting overboard with it, Collins said. We had games to play that are very meaningful to us. I thought the guys after Monday night realized that we had to go out and play. We had some great at-bats the last couple of nights.Seth Lugo (5-2) went 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, both on Martin Prados eighth homer.Four relievers completed a seven-hitter, and Jeurys Familia pitched a perfect ninth for his 50th save -- with Fernandez on his mind.His passing left us in a state of shock, Familia said in Spanish. It was very painful playing this series, but at the same time, we wanted to dedicate these games to him.When the series finale ended, several Marlins kneeled at the mound, honoring Fernandez one last time before leaving the field. His private funeral is Thursday.Everybody was exhausted, thinking of all the stuff we went through in the last three or four days, Prado said. But the beautiful thing about this is weve been together all these days.RECORDSThe Mets finished 12-7 against Miami. The Marlins finished 40-40 at home.GOOD SEATS STILL AVAILABLEThe announced crowd was 24,335. The Marlins finished last in the NL in attendance for the 11th time in the past 12 years, averaging 21,405 per game.PITCHING PLANSAs the Mets chase one of the two wild-card berths, Collins is already weighing potential pitching decisions on the final day of the regular season Sunday, when Noah Syndergaard is scheduled to start.If you wake up Sunday morning and say, `OK, were in, but we dont necessarily have home-field advantage, do we use Syndergaard? Collins asked. Or do we say, `Hes going to pitch the first playoff game, no matter where its at?If the Mets have clinched home-field advantage, they might start Syndergaard on Sunday and have him throw about 25 pitches to ensure hes sharp for the wild-card playoff game on Wednesday.Otherwise he goes eight days without pitching, Collins said.UP NEXTRHP Bartolo Colon (14-8, 3.42) might start Friday on short rest when the Mets open their final regular season series at Philadelphia. RHP Robert Gsellman (3-2, 2.56) is also an option, but Colon threw only 47 pitches when he took the loss Monday against Miami.Marlins RHP Andrew Cashner (5-11, 5.13) will make his final start Friday at Washington. Air Force 1 Nere Scontate . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Yeezy Boost 380 Saldi . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. http://www.outletscarpesaldi.it/jordan-1-prezzo-basso.html . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Yeezy 700 Italia . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. Yeezy Boost 350 Replica Italia . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- After getting two sacks against Buffalo last week, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Malik Jackson received a playful text from former teammate Von Miller.He said my dance was ugly, Jackson said Wednesday. Hes a hater.Jackson will get a chance to change Millers mind in person Sunday when the Jaguars (2-9) host Denver (7-4). It will be the first time Jackson faces his former team, and a chance to show those guys who I am on another team.Jackson left the Super Bowl champions to sign a six-year, $85.5 million contract with Jacksonville in free agency. As far as the Jaguars are concerned, Jackson has been worth the hefty price tag.Hes playing really well up front, coach Gus Bradley said. If hes not doing something, just ask him. If you dont think hes hustling, challenge him and hell hustle more. What I didnt expect from him is his presence on the field as far as a leader. I think he has no problem challenging guys to a standard.Jackson has 4 + sacks this season, including three in the last two games, and a team-high 11 quarterback hurries. He was at his best against the Bills , getting those sacks and making another tackle 30 yards downfield. After each sack, he pretended he was combing his hair back like a 1950s greaser. Miller wasnt impressed with Jacksons celebration, but lauded the rest of his performance.I already know what he is capable of, so it doesnt surprise me, Miller said.Jackson is trying to treat the game like any other even though he admits to circling it on the NFL schedule.I cant be selfish even though its a lot of things for me `cause it is my old team and I know a bunch of those guys, he said. It should be fun to see those guys again, but we have to go out there and get a win and thats where my focus is this week.Jackson has helped revamped Jacksonvilles much-maligned defense, getting partial credit for turning one of the leagues worst units into a group that ranks sixth in total yards. Hes been stout against the run and even better against the pass, collapsing pockets and leaving quarterbacks with little room to roam.He was equally effective in Denver and came up bbig in the Super Bowl when he dived on a fumble for a touchdown against Carolina.ddddddddddddThat play certainly increased his market value and helped him land the big free-agent contract.He has said repeatedly that he wanted to see how he would fare without playing alongside disruptive pass rushers Miller and DeMarcus Ware.So far, so good, Jackson said. We still have a few more games to go and I know I can get better. Right now its looking good, but we can always get better.Jackson and Miller figured last year the Broncos wouldnt be able to keep both of them. Denver placed the exclusive-rights franchise tag on Miller in March, a move that essentially had Jackson packing his bags.Miller eventually signed a six-year deal worth $114.5 million to stay in Denver. It included $70 million guaranteed.We knew deep down what was going to happen, but I was happy for whatever, Miller said. I am always for guys going and getting paid.Jackson plans to earn every penny of his deal and hopes to help the Jaguars get back on track after nearly a decade of losing, something he has yet to get acclimated to. After losing 14 games in four years in Denver, Jackson is closing in on double-digit losses in his first season in Jacksonville.He created headlines in early November by saying he felt there werent enough fans at EverBank Stadium for the teams game against Oakland, and that the ones who were there werent very loud.Its definitely been hard, he said. There are totally different things going on here than there was in Denver. It sucks that were 2-9 right now. It sucks, but every week you see things getting better and you see us getting better. Were soon to peak.Maybe it will happen against his former team and give him another reason to dance.Its a big game for me for a lot of reasons, Jackson said. But like I said, I cant let the moment get too big and be selfish and do things out of my character outside the defense.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '