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Brignac, Mayberry lead Phillies over Padres

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Key contributions from bench players helped the Philadelphia Phillies put a winning streak together.

Pinch-hitter Reid Brignac lined a tiebreaking, two-run double in the sixth inning, John Mayberry Jr. hit a three-run homer and the Phillies beat the San Diego Padres 7-3 to complete a three-game sweep Thursday in a game played in steady rain.

Brignac, whose three-run homer in the ninth sent the Phillies to a 3-0 victory a night earlier, hit a drive off Dale Thayer to the gap in left-center for a 4-2 lead.

Mayberry connected an inning later off Alex Torres. Making a spot start for Ryan Howard, Mayberry also doubled twice.

“It’s definitely a game of momentum and I think with the way we’ve played these last few games, that can definitely carry over.” Mayberry said. “I think from top to bottom, we’ve pitched well, had timely hitting and played good defense. Hopefully we can continue.”

Kyle Kendrick (2-6) allowed one earned and seven hits, striking out five in six innings. He earned his second win in 20 starts, dating to last year.

The Phillies have their first three game-winning streak since May 17-20 and recorded just their second series sweep this season. Ken Giles made his major league debut for the Phillies with two outs in the ninth. He threw a 100 mph fastball on his first pitch before Yasmani Grandal hit an opposite-field homer on a 3-1 pitch.

“I just go out and pitch. Whatever it says, it says,” Giles said of the radar gun.

As for the homer, Giles said: “It looked like a routine fly ball to the warning track to me.”

Welcome to hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, kid.

Padres starter Eric Stults (2-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.

Mayberry is batting .324 (12 for 37) with five doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs against lefties. Howard is hitting just .206 (12 for 63) with one double, four homers, 15 RBIs and 30 strikeouts vs. lefties.

Manager Ryne Sandberg may have to consider a platoon at first, even though Howard is making $25 million per season through 2016 with a $23 million team option for 2017.

“I see it pretty well (against lefties),” Mayberry said. “I think traditionally righties hit left-handers better obviously. I’m just trying to take the same approach into every at-bat.”

Mayberry led off Philadelphia’s sixth with his second double. Domonic Brown lined a single to right on an 0-2 pitch, chasing Stults.

Thayer came in to face Will Nieves, who hit a bouncer to third baseman Chase Headley. His high throw to the plate was in time to get Mayberry. Sandberg challenged the call, but a video review confirmed catcher Grandal tagged Mayberry before his foot touched the plate.

Thayer then struck out pinch-hitter Howard. But Brignac followed with a shot to the wall to give the Phillies a two-run lead.

Mayberry made it 7-2 with his fifth homer of the season in the seventh.

Padres manager Bud Black won a replay challenge in the third inning when a video review showed Ben Revere was out at first base following a drag bunt. Jimmy Rollins hit an RBI single in Philadelphia’s first to move within two hits of breaking Mike Schmidt’s franchise record of 2,234.

The Padres jumped on Kendrick for two runs in the first. Will Venable led off with a single and Everth Cabrera followed with a single, snapping an 0-for-23 slump. After Seth Smith’s groundout, Headley hit an RBI double.

Smith scored when right fielder Marlon Byrd bobbled the ball for an error and Headley went to third. Kendrick has a 9.00 ERA in the first inning and batters are hitting .393 against him.

“I don’t have an answer,” Kendrick said. “I’ve tried everything. Maybe next game I won’t warm up.”

NOTES: Howard wasn’t in the starting lineup vs. Stults, even though he’s 2 for 2 with two homers off him. … Kendrick became the first Phillies pitcher to draw a walk. … The Padres lost for only the 12th time when having a lead at any point in a game. … The Phillies open a three-game series against the Cubs on Friday night. Roberto Hernandez (2-4, 4.35) faces Chicago’s Jake Arrieta (1-1, 2.50). … The Padres open a three-game set at the Mets. Andrew Cashner (2-5, 2.13) goes against New York’s Bartolo Colon (5-5, 4.31).

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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