It is the season’s third hurricane, and forecasters are predicting that the storm could strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane by Friday. Ernesto’s peak wind speeds could reach 115 mph by Friday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Ernesto was located about 570 miles south-southwest of Bermuda as of 11 a.m. Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, moving north at 14 mph. Hurricane-force winds reach up to 60 miles from Ernesto’s center, while tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles.

A hurricane watch is in place for Bermuda, where the center of Ernesto is expected to pass on Saturday.

The National Hurricane Center on Thursday was predicting 4 to 8 inches of rain, with a maximum of 12 inches in localized areas.

AccuWeather meteorologists said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that wind gusts as high as 140 mph are forecast for Bermuda, up to 3 feet of storm surge.

“We could be dealing with a major hurricane approaching Bermuda this weekend,” said AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno in the statement. “Ernesto is forecast to track just west of Bermuda. That puts Bermuda in the right front quadrant of the hurricane, which is where we typically see the worst impacts from a storm.”

Ernesto, which became a tropical storm in the Atlantic on Monday, is expected to move at a slower speed as it continues heading north, or potentially northeast, on Friday and Saturday.

National Hurricane Center forecasters said Thursday Ernesto will generate swells that will reach the U.S. East Coast later this week and the weekend, despite being far offshore. A high risk of dangerous rip currents is expected.

“Beach goers should be aware of a significant risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents, and stay out of the water if advised by lifeguards,” the hurricane center said.

Ernesto dropped torrential rain on the eastern portion of Puerto Rico. Nearly half a million of 1.4 million customers remained in the dark more than a day after Ernesto swiped past Puerto Rico late Tuesday as a tropical storm before strengthening into a hurricane. Hundreds of thousands of people also are without water given the power outages.

Luma Energy, the company that operates transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico, said early Wednesday that its priority was to restore power to hospitals, the island’s water and sewer company and other essential services.

When pressed for an estimate of when power would be restored, Alejandro González, Luma’s operations director, declined to say.

“It would be irresponsible to provide an exact date,” he said at a news conference late Wednesday.

Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm, and it remains frail as crews continue to rebuild the system.

Not everyone can afford generators on the island of 3.2 million people with a more than 40% poverty rate.

“People already prepared themselves with candles,” said Lucía Rodríguez, a 31-year-old street vendor.

Hurricane season, which runs from June 1-Nov. 30, has entered the busiest time of the year from mid-August to October. The next named storm will be Francine.

Though July was quiet, experts at Colorado State said last week the remainder of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season should be “extremely active,” with the likelihood of 10 more hurricanes.

Colorado State’s department of atmospheric science’s final 2024 hurricane season forecast called for a “well-above-average” August through November, although it reduced its number of named storms from its July forecast, from 25 down to 23. The 1991 to 2020 average is 14.4.

The Colorado State team still expects 12 hurricanes (the 1991-2020 average was 7.2), and is forecasting that six of those will reach major hurricane strength (Category 3, 4 or 5). The 1991-2020 average is 3.2.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration echoed Colorado State’s prediction in its updated 2024 hurricane season forecast, calling for an “extremely active” remainder of the season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

PHILADELPHIA — Jake Burger homered for the fourth straight game, Valente Bellozo gave up four hits in seven innings and the 75-loss Miami Marlins kept the Philadelphia Phillies in a summer swoon that has cost them the best record in baseball with a 5-0 victory on Tuesday night.

After spending much of the first three months of the season as the winningest team in baseball, the Phillies’ brutal stretch since June has raised serious concerns headed into the stretch run about a serious shot at winning a World Series championship.

The Fightin’ Phils opened with the best 50-game start in baseball since the 2001 Seattle Mariners. The Fizzlin’ Phils returned from a 4-6 road trip to lose for the 16th time in 23 games since the All-Star break. They are 24-31 since June 9 and no longer boast the best record in baseball or National League. One consolation prize: The Phillies still had a seven-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East, entering Tuesday’s game.

At this losing clip, who knows if the Phillies can even keep that cushion?

Phillies manager Rob Thomson rarely calls team meetings over his three seasons but a clubhouse address could be on the horizon.

“Is it time to do it? It depends on a lot of things,” Thomson said. “It depends on the attitude and where I think the guys’ minds are at. I think overall they’re very solid right now. Frustrated because they know we’re better than that.”

The All-Star break splits are depressing in Philly: a .259 team batting average in the first half vs. .237 since and a 3.41 team ERA in the first half to 5.07 post-break. The Phillies had a whopping plus-110 run differential edge in the first half and are minus-25 since the break.

With sluggers slumping, it might be time to shake up the lineup.

“We’re getting close,” Thomson said.

Taijuan Walker (3-4) allowed three runs and walked three over four innings in his first start since June 21.

Walker, who turned 32 on Tuesday, wasn’t expected to pitch deep into the game in his return from right index finger inflammation. The veteran right-hander struggled with command and threw 34 pitches in the first inning. He walked Burger and Jesús Sánchez on a combined 10 pitches in the first, and threw a ball to Jonah Bride before catcher J.T. Realmuto hit the mound for a chat.

Walker then threw a strike — bringing a mocking cheer from the crowd — before Bride ripped an RBI single. Otto Lopez added a run-scoring single, unleashing a torrent of boos in the ballpark.

Wins or losses, Phillies fans the last two seasons had gone against the grain of their century-old reputation as a notoriously tough crowd and turned Citizens Bank Park one of the top home fields in baseball.

Against the Marlins, 42,846 restless fans were fed up.

They booed Walker. They booed each squandered at-bat against Bellozo (2-1) and two relievers, who tossed four-hit ball.

They booed when Burger hit his 23rd homer of the season and 13th since the All-Star break in the third.

They booed in the fourth when Bellozo retired Realmuto on a shallow fly to right to end the inning and leave runners stranded on second and third base.

They unloaded in the seventh when Realmuto’s wild throw to third allowed Xavier Edwards to score and even the stragglers let the Phillies have it when Sánchez went deep in the ninth to make it 5-0.

“Our fans know that we’re better than that,” Thomson said. “We have very knowledgeable fans and they let you know when you’re not playing well.”

Bellozo struck out four and walked one.

Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm — the top four hitters in the lineup — went 1 for 15.

“It’s not worry. Frustration,” Schwarber said. “I think worry is the wrong kind of word. If you’re worried about where you’re at, it’s not a good thing to be.”

The Phillies hoped Walker — who had a 5.60 ERA over his first 10 starts — would be sharp enough in his return that they could turn to a six-man starting rotation down the stretch.

All they got instead was one more reason for doubt in a second-half full of dismay.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins right fielder Vidal Bruján left the game with a sprained right shoulder after he made a diving catch into foul territory on Trea Turner’s flyball to end the third inning.

NEXT UP

The Marlins send RHP Edward Cabrera (2-3, 5.20 ERA) to the mound against Phillies RHP Tyler Phillips (4-1, 4.83 ERA).

MIAMI — Elly De La Cruz again battered the Marlins while at bat and on the bases, going 4 for 5 with two doubles, as the Cincinnati Reds routed Miami 8-2 on Tuesday night.

A night after hitting two homers and two doubles, De La Cruz singled in the first, doubled and scored in the third and hit a bases-loaded double in the fourth that scored two. He then scored after stealing his major league-leading 58th base of the season, snagging third without a throw while Marlins starter Max Meyer (2-2) was in his stretch.

Going on the pitch after singling in the eighth, his speed distracted shortstop Xavier Edwards into a throwing error on Spencer Steer’s grounder, taking third without breaking stride. He was stranded.

De La Cruz said he enjoyed Tuesday’s performance more, as it built on his earlier outing.

“I am just having fun out there,” De La Cruz said.

Manager David Bell said while the 22-year-old has dominated the first two games of the series, he was particularly impressed by his fourth-inning double which came after he had two strikes. De La Cruz, a left-handed hitter, smacked the pitch deep the opposite way, just inside the left field line, showing some maturity.

“He didn’t try to do too much. He got the job done and also drove the ball almost off the wall in left field. Those kind of at bats go a long way,” Bell said.

The Reds also got a strong outing from starter Nick Lodolo (9-4), who gave up two runs on two hits in six innings. He struck out seven. He had struggled since returning last month from the injured list after suffering a blister on his throwing hand, posting a 6.67 ERA in five starts entering Tuesday.

He skated through the first three innings, only allowing a double to Edwards to lead off the first. Then after walking Jonah Bride with one out in the fourth, he appeared to have gotten a double-play grounder from Otto Lopez, but that call was overturned on review. He walked the next two batters to load the bases, before Derek Hill singled in two, for the only Marlins’ scoring of the night.

Lodolo said the replay delay and overturned call didn’t distract him, saying, “I just tried to do a little too much in that situation.”

“It’s something I have got to work on,” he said. But overall, he was pleased with his effort.

“It was good, especially early. I was getting a lot of swing and miss,” he said.

Meyer (2-2) had his third straight rough start since being recalled last month from Triple-A Jacksonville, allowing six runs on eight hits, walking three and hitting one over four innings. The 2020 first-round draft pick, who returned this season from Tommy John surgery, has allowed 13 runs over 13 innings in those starts.

The Reds have now scored 37 runs in five games this season against Miami, going 4-1.

Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson opened the scoring in the second, belting a 418-foot homer to center off Meyer, his 14th of the season. Ty France also homered for Cincinnati, a 395-foot shot to right-center in the fifth off reliever Emmanuel Ramirez, his 10th and second in two games.

Edwards’ double extended his on-base streak to 23 games, tying the Phillies’ Alec Bohm for the longest active streak in the majors. Philadelphia played later Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

Darren McCaughan, who was called up before the game from Jacksonville, pitched four strong innings in relief for Miami, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three.

TRAINERS ROOM

Marlins: LHP Jesus Luzardo, who has been out since June 22 with a back injury, will not throw for another six weeks, putting his return this season in doubt. C Nick Fortes, who left Monday’s game with quadriceps tightness, jogged before Tuesday’s game and was available in an emergency.

UP NEXT

LHP Andrew Abbott (9-8, 3.41) will start the third game of the series on Wednesday, while the Marlins will go with Valente Bellozo (0-1, 4.20).

Nick Martinez (6-5) pitched five scoreless innings to win on his 34th birthday in his first start since May 22.

De La Cruz entered in an 0-for-13 slide and put Cincinnati ahead with a two-run homer off Roddery Muñoz (2-6) in the first inning. He doubled in the fourth and sixth innings and hit a solo homer in the eighth against Shaun Anderson, his 20th home run this season. De La Cruz has three multihomer games, including two this season.

“Very appreciative of everything because the hard work is paying off,” De La Cruz said in Spanish. “Also appreciate my teammates and the support they give me.”

It was the 20th four-extra-base hit game by a Reds player since 1901 and at 22 years, 207 days De La Cruz became the youngest Cincinnati player to accomplish the feat since then.

“There’s a lot more to come. It’s fun to watch him every day,” Reds manager David Bell said. “But it does starts with his approach and how he is working and trying to get better.”

De La Cruz has a major league-leading 57 steals and joined Hall of Famer Joe Morgan and Eric Davis as the only Reds with 20 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season. De La Cruz has four homers against Miami this year.

Sánchez drove a changeup from Jakob Junis into the right-center field upper deck in the sixth. The drive outdistanced a 478-foot homer by San Francisco’s Jorge Soler at San Francisco on July 21.

“Sanchez has some of the best raw power in the game,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “He has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark, line to line.”

Ty France had three hits, including his first homer since he was acquired from Seattle on July 30, and Noelvi Marté also went deep for the Reds.

Martinez, who had been pitching out of the bullpen, allowed four hits, struck out five and walked none in a 70-pitch in outing.

“With my role being so versatile, there are unique ways to find opportunities,” Martinez said. “There are unique situations where I can help the team win late in the ball game and maintain my workload to be able to slide in like this and start.”

Martinez said he had previously pitched on his birthday during his four seasons in Japan.

“I also went five scoreless,” Martinez said.

Xavier Edwards singled twice for the Marlins, extending his on base games streak to 22.

Muñoz gave up six runs — four earned — seven hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: INF Matt McClain (rib cage stress reaction) has not been scheduled for rehab games, Bell said.

Marlins: C Nick Fortes left with quadriceps tightness after singling in the seventh inning.

UP NEXT

LHP Nick Lodolo (8-4, 3.99) will start the second game of the series for the Reds on Tuesday while the Marlins will go with RHP Max Meyer (2-1, 3.81).

Ben Rortvedt and Yandy Diaz each contributed two-run singles off reliever Declan Cronin (2-3) during a five-run sixth inning that propelled the Rays to a 6-3 lead. Jose Caballero added an RBI double, then scored on a balk while attempting to steal home to extend the lead in the seventh.

Morel, acquired Sunday in a trade that sent All-Star infielder Isaac Paredes to Chicago, homered to left center field off Marlins starter Edward Cabrera leading off the fourth inning. The deal was one of several the Rays made the past week with an eye on positioning themselves for success in coming years.

“We know he’s got a lot of power,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He was fun to be around today. The hitting was great, but also his presence in the dugout — vocal, smiling, kind of what we had heard” about him.

The homer was Morel’s 19th of the season.

The Marlins (39-68) were also sellers before the trade deadline, moving third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees last week and making trades with six more teams on Tuesday.

Left-hander Jeffrey Springs returned from Tommy John surgery, making his first start since April 2023 for the Rays. He allowed a two-run homer to Emmanuel Rivera in the first inning and yielded six hits while striking out three over 3 2/3 innings.

Jake Burger had a solo homer off Tyler Alexander (4-3) for a 3-1 Marlins lead in the fifth. Cabrera left the game with a knee injury after allowing two runs and three hits in five-plus innings.

Marlins’ trades

The Marlins were big sellers at the MLB trade deadline ahead of their Tuesday night game against the Rays:

— The San Diego Padres acquired All-Star closer Tanner Scott and right-handed reliever Bryan Hoeing from the Marlins, and Miami picked pitching prospects LHP Robby Snelling and RHP Adam Mazur and top infield prospects Graham Pauley and Jay Beshears.

— The Pittsburgh Pirates, in the middle of the NL wild-card race, added outfielder Bryan De La Cruz from Miami in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jun-Seok Shim and infielder Garret Forrester. De La Cruz led the Marlins with 18 homers.

— The Baltimore Orioles acquired left-handed starter Trevor Rogers from Miami, sending prospect Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers to the Marlins. The 26-year-old Rogers was a dependable option for Miami most of the season and has a 4.53 ERA over 21 starts.

— The Arizona Diamondbacks plugged a hole in their lineup by adding first baseman Josh Bell, who was hitting .239 with 14 homers for the Marlins. Miami will receive cash in return.

— The Mets picked up Marlins right-handed reliever Huascar Brazobán in exchange for minor league infielder Wilfredo Lara.

— The Seattle Mariners, in a tight race with Houston for the AL West lead, re-acquired right-hander JT Chargois from Miami for minor league right-hander Will Schomberg. Chargois pitched for Seattle during the first half of the 2021 season.

Trainers room

Marlins: Cabrera departed two pitches into the sixth inning. He motioned with his glove for catcher Nick Fortes to approach the mound and was replaced by Cronin after a brief discussion with manager Skip Schumaker.

Schumaker said the right-hander tweaked his knee covering first base on an infield single the previous inning.

“We’ll figure it out after testing (Wednesday),” the manager added.

Rays: Springs made his first start since April 13, 2023, against the Boston Red Sox, a span of 474 days. He threw 76 pitches, 46 for strikes.

Up next

Right-hander Taj Bradley (6-4, 2.43 ERA) starts the finale of a two-game series for Tampa Bay. The Marlins will counter with right-hander Roddery Munoz (1-5, 5.61).

Baltimore, which slipped into a tie with Cleveland for the best record in the American League at 60-40, was slowed after losing second baseman Jorge Mateo and starting pitcher Albert Suárez due to injuries in the third inning.

Mateo collided with shortstop Gunnar Henderson as they dove to catch a grounder off the bat of Sánchez behind the second base bag and exited because of left elbow pain. He will undergo an MRI on Wednesday.

Suárez’s outing ended when Miami’s next hitter, Otto López, hit a comebacker that deflected off the pitcher’s right shin and rolled near the Marlins’ dugout on the third-base side for a single that loaded the bases. Suárez was diagnosed with a contusion.

“It hurts more now than when I got hit. The adrenaline is down now,” Suárez said. “The X-rays came out negative, thankfully. Just swollen. Nothing else.”

Chisholm had two hits, including a two-run double that capped a four-run second inning and put Miami ahead 4-1. Sánchez led off the inning with a 429-foot homer, his 12th of the season, and Gordon added a run-scoring single.

“Everybody before the game was talking about how they feel so good today and how we’re going to have a great series against the Orioles,” Chisholm said.

Chisholm also had two stolen bases and made a throw from center field that caught Colton Cowser at third after he took off from first on Ryan Mountcastle’s single in the third.

“We talked about in the pre-game that you can’t hurt ourselves on the bases and give away extra outs,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “We have to play the game the right way in order to beat a team like that. I felt like we did that.”

Josh Bell and Otto López each had a pair of singles for the Marlins, who have the worst record in the National League at 36-65.

Tyler, promoted from Triple-A Tuesday, struck out five and allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. A.J. Puk (4-8) pitched two perfect innings of relief for the win. Tanner Scott closed with a scoreless ninth for his 17th save.

Marlins relievers have allowed three runs over 18 innings since the All-Star break.

“That’s our jobs down there, when your name’s called, get the job done,” Puk said. “We’re relaxed and confident and throwing the ball well.”

Suárez (5-4) gave up six runs and eight hits in two-plus innings.

The Orioles scored two runs in the third on RBI singles by Ryan O’Hearn and Colton Cowser, before the Marlins extended their lead to 6-3 in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Xavier Edwards and Gordon’s RBI groundout.

“We just did not play well,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We made a lot of mistakes early in the game, ran ourselves out of innings twice. We need to play better.”

Jordan Westburg’s run-scoring single in the first provided an early lead for Baltimore, which leads the majors in homers with 157 but didn’t have another hit after O’Hearn’s two-out single in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: LHP Josh Simpson (left elbow neuritis) threw a 35-pitch bullpen Tuesday and could be scheduled for two additional bullpens before he progresses to throw live batting practice. … RHP Yonny Chirinos was designated for assignment to make room Tyler’ on the roster.

UP NEXT

RHP Chayce McDermott will make his major league debut for the Orioles in the second game of the series Wednesday while the Marlins will go with RHP Edward Cabrera (1-3, 7.36 ERA).

McNeil had three RBIs as the Mets split the four-game series against the National League’s worst team. New York (51-48) is 5-5 versus Miami (35-65) this season.

“It’s not easy to hit them here, even pull side,” Lindor said. “It’s baseball. I guess the ball was flying for me. It was a good day.”

Mets starter David Peterson (5-0) permitted two runs and six hits in five innings. The left-hander walked four and struck out four.

“I felt I did some good things and some things that we’ll get better at,” said Peterson, who had not pitched since July 11. “You get back in your routine as quick as you can and get the second half rolling.”

José Buttó relieved Peterson and allowed one run over two innings. Phil Maton worked a perfect eighth, aided by a diving catch from center fielder Harrison Bader.

Down 6-3, the Marlins rallied against closer Edwin Díaz in the ninth, when Nick Gordon hit a one-out single and Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked. Bryan De La Cruz followed with a dribbler that Díaz fielded, but he looked at second — where nobody was covering — before throwing soft and late to first, loading the bases.

Josh Bell grounded out, scoring Gordon and advancing Chisholm and De La Cruz as McNeil made a tough play at second base. Díaz retired Jake Burger on a popup for his 12th save in 17 tries.

“They created some traffic but he kept making pitches,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Díaz. “I liked how he continued to mix the fastball, the slider. He got the job done.”

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker was ejected by plate umpire Rob Drake for arguing balls and strikes after the eighth inning.

“Rob’s a good umpire. He’s been around a long time,” Schumaker said. “It’s nothing personal. I just felt like he had to know what I felt.”

McNeil’s two-run shot in the second put the Mets ahead 2-0. He drove the first pitch from Marlins starter Yonny Chirinos (0-2) into the second deck of the right-field seats for his eighth homer and third of the series.

“I know the power’s there. Just kind of searching for some hits and abandoned that a little bit,” McNeil said. “There’s still a time and place for poke the ball the other way and put the ball in play. Different approaches for different times.”

The Marlins narrowed the gap on Vidal Bruján’s RBI double in the second before McNeil’s sacrifice fly and Lindor’s solo homer in the fourth made it 4-1.

New York padded its lead when Chirinos plunked Jose Iglesias with the bases loaded in the fifth.

Solo shots from Bell in the fifth and De La Cruz in the seventh got Miami within 5-3.

Lindor ended a string of 12 1/3 scoreless innings by Marlins relievers in the series when he connected off JT Chargois with another solo homer in the ninth.

Chirinos gave up five runs and nine hits with four walks in five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: 3B Mark Vientos got the night off after getting hit on the helmet by an errant throw in Sunday’s game. Mendoza said Vientos cleared protocols and participated in baseball activities, but he felt it was appropriate to rest him Monday.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Jose Quintana (4-6, 4.13 ERA) starts the opener of a two-game Subway Series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. RHP Luis Gil (10-5, 3.17) pitches for the Yankees.

Marlins: Had not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game home series against Baltimore on Tuesday. RHP Albert Suárez (5-3, 2.82 ERA) goes for the Orioles.