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Lucroy, Peralta help Brewers beat Mets 3-1

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wily Peralta looked completely focused on the mound — even if he had more on his mind than the New York Mets.

Peralta pitched into the seventh inning and Jonathan Lucroy had three hits to send the Milwaukee Brewers past the slumping Mets 3-1 Wednesday night.

Immediately after the game, Peralta headed home to the Dominican Republic to take care of some “family business,” manager Ron Roenicke said. The pitcher will rejoin the team in Milwaukee this weekend.

Roenicke said the plan has been in place for a while. The Brewers didn’t want to reveal specifics, but it sounded as though Peralta was dealing with something serious.

“Pretty tough. I don’t know how he did it, but he did it. Pretty amazing, considering,” Lucroy said. “I don’t think I could do that with stuff like that on my mind.”

Lucroy doubled twice and drove in a run, raising his batting average to .341. Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura each had an RBI as the NL Central leaders wore down Jacob deGrom (0-3), still looking for his first career win after six mostly solid starts.

The shaggy-haired rookie was lifted in the sixth after throwing 80 strikes in 107 pitches. But he got little help from his teammates as New York lost for the seventh time in eight games.

“One of these days we are going to get that big hit for him and he’ll get that win,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Collins made it halfway through the latest defeat, ejected in the fifth for arguing a replay ruling. The attendance of 20,170 marked the smallest crowd at Citi Field this season — for the second consecutive night.

Peralta (6-5) used a 96-98 mph fastball and his nasty slider to hold scuffling David Wright and the punchless Mets to four hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander won his second consecutive start following a four-game losing streak.

It was the second time Peralta has shut down the Mets. He beat them 3-0 with eight innings of two-hit ball at Miller Park on Sept. 16, 2012.

“Wily was really good. Command a lot better. Fastball was down in the zone better. Slider was better,” Roenicke said. “I thought he pitched today instead of fighting through things and just trying to throw as hard as he could.”

Will Smith worked a scoreless eighth and ex-Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez got three quick outs for his 20th save in 22 attempts. First baseman Mark Reynolds made a diving catch to end it.

Milwaukee has won nine of 14 overall.

“It was definitely a grind-it win,” Lucroy said.

In his second game since moving into the leadoff spot, Scooter Gennett gave the Brewers a pair of pesky at-bats that paid off.

He saw a total of 16 pitches during his first two trips to the plate and got a hit both times. After a double to start the third, he scored on a groundout by Lucroy.

With the score tied in the fourth, Mets left fielder Curtis Granderson misplayed Aramis Ramirez’s leadoff double. Segura tried to squeeze home a run with one out, but bunted foul. On the next pitch, he lined an RBI single to snap a 2-for-28 skid.

Lucroy’s fifth-inning double sent Ryan Braun to third. He scored on Gomez’s infield single to make it 3-1.

“Luke’s locked in and he has been for quite a while,” Roenicke said. “His at-bats are outstanding.”

Taylor Teagarden was called out on a bang-bang play at first to open the bottom half. Collins challenged, and the crowd cheered when replays appeared to show Teagarden was safe by a hair.

But the call stood upon review, bringing a confounded Collins out of the dugout again. He gestured toward the big video board in center field and was given some leeway during the discussion before getting tossed by plate umpire Gary Cederstrom.

It was Collins’ first ejection this season. Managers are not allowed to argue replay rulings.

“I knew when I left the dugout what was going to happen,” Collins said. “Sometimes you have to have an answer.”

Lucas Duda’s sacrifice fly put the Mets ahead in the second.

NOTES: Gomez has reached safely in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. … Milwaukee must decide by Friday whether to return LHP Tom Gorzelanny (shoulder surgery) from his rehab assignment or keep him on the disabled list. … An MRI showed Brewers RHP Tyler Thornburg has irritation in his right elbow, but no ligament damage. “It’s not super serious, but we are going to be cautious,” Roenicke said. Thornburg went on the 15-day disabled list June 7. … Brewers RHP Kyle Lohse (7-2, 3.27 ERA) faces LHP Jonathon Niese (3-3, 2.68) in the series finale.

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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