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Hammel hit hard, Cubs lose to Pirates 4-2

By WTOP Staff

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jason Hammel had been one of the majors’ best starters when it came to limiting baserunners. He looked anything but on Wednesday.

Hammel allowed 11 hits in five innings and the Chicago Cubs lost for the third time in four games, 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates at rain-soaked PNC Park.

“It was rough,” Hammel said. “A lot of hits given up. Up in the zone. Obviously could have been better strikes thrown, but I battled through. It could have been a lot worse — 11 hits through five innings? It’s amazing they only put up four.”

Luis Valbuena continued his recent strong hitting with three hits for last-place Chicago, which has lost three of four after a season-best five-game winning streak.

Hammel had won two previous starts against the Pirates this season and entered Wednesday with the second-best WHIP in the majors (0.88).

But he was flat from the beginning, and Hammel denied that the 1-hour, 38-minute rain delay at the start of the game had anything to do with it.

“Honestly, I thought I did a pretty good job for as many baserunners as I had tonight,” he said. “It was definitely a battle. It was a grind. You’ve just got to keep pitching, keep throwing strikes. Good slider tonight. Just fastball command was a little up.”

Hammel (6-4) was spared a worse line by some poor baserunning by Pittsburgh, which hit into two peculiar double plays and had another runner thrown out at third during the seventh inning after Hammel was out of the game.

Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer in the first inning and reached base four times for Pittsburgh, which has taken two of the first three games of the series with their NL Central rivals.

McCutchen’s fly ball landed more than a row into the left-field seats — but it almost became an extra-long out when left fielder Chris Coghlan leaped into the stands. He landed in the seats and said he had a read on the ball but that a fan outmaneuvered him for it.

“Best non-catch effort I’ve ever seen,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said.

McCutchen is batting .462 during a seven-game hitting streak and has 12 extra-base hits during 10 June games.

“I would have went there and shook his hand myself if he caught that ball,” he said.

McCutchen’s 10th homer snapped Hammel’s streaks of 14 1-3 innings without allowing a run and 52 innings without allowing a homer.

“It wasn’t one of Hammy’s best days,” Renteria said. “But he sure did grind out five innings.”

Pittsburgh’s Brandon Cumpton (2-2) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in his five innings, striking out Nate Schierholtz with the bases loaded on his final pitch.

“It’s something I need to work on, getting through the fifth and sixth innings,” Cumpton said. “It was a good experience, a real confidence booster for me.”

Justin Wilson, Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli followed with a hitless inning each. Grilli earned his 10th save of the season in his 400th career appearance.

The Pirates’ Starling Marte had two hits — including an RBI single in the fifth inning — but also was thrown out on the basepaths for the third time in two games when he was picked off third following Travis Snider’s popup behind home plate in the fifth.

The Cubs briefly tied the game at 2 in the second when John Baker’s single drove in Valbuena and Schierholtz scored on a groundout.

Valbuena entered with the second-best batting average and on-base percentage in the NL over the previous 21 games. He had two singles and a double.

“I’m just looking for my pitch and I’m being aggressive with the strike zone,” Valbuena said.

The Pirates’ Gregory Polanco went 1 for 5 with an RBI groundout a day after his much-hyped major league debut Tuesday.

NOTES: The Cubs announced they signed their first-round draft pick, Indiana catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber. The No. 4 overall selection and a Johnny Bench Award finalist, he will report to the organization’s short-season Class A affiliate in Boise, Idaho. … Pirates 2B Josh Harrison was removed from the game for a pinch hitter during the third inning because of discomfort in his left ankle. … A fireworks display from the nearby annual Pittsburgh arts festival rumbled PNC Park for several minutes during the fourth inning. … Pittsburgh’s Thursday scheduled starter, RHP Edinson Volquez, is 5-0 in his career against the Cubs. Chicago’s probable starter, RHP Jeff Samardzija, has a 1.90 ERA in 71 career innings against the Pirates, including seven shutout innings on opening day at PNC Park.

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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