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Rockies no-hit by Kershaw in 8-0 loss to Dodgers

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As befuddled and frustrated as the Colorado Rockies were after getting no-hit by Clayton Kershaw on Wednesday night, they had nothing but admiration for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-time Cy Young Award winner afterward.

Only one batter reached base against Kershaw, who had a career-high 15 strikeouts and was deprived of a shot at a perfect game when shortstop Hanley Ramirez committed a two-base throwing error on a slowly hit grounder by Corey Dickerson leading off the seventh.

That was the only blemish on the left-hander’s 8-0 victory, which completed a three-game sweep of the Rockies

“Kershaw’s a stand-up guy — a class act. We tip our hats to him,” Dickerson said. “His stuff was phenomenal tonight. I think all the guys said that.”

One hitter after Dickerson reached base, rookie third baseman Miguel Rojas backhanded Troy Tulowitzki’s grounder behind the bag and let fly with a strong throw to first that Adrian Gonzalez — a three-time Gold Glove winner — scooped out of the dirt.

“That kid at third made a couple of nice plays in the series,” Tulowitzki said. “He’s a good defender, and he might’ve saved a no-hitter.”

Kershaw received a standing ovation from the crowd of 46,069 when he came to bat in the eighth, and another one minutes later after finishing the job against one of baseball’s most dangerous lineups.

The Rockies began the day leading the majors in batting average, hits, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. They were first in the NL in runs and homers.

“There are some guys in that lineup that give him fits,” Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis acknowledged. “But the way he made those guys look tonight was a testament to how good his stuff was. He was pretty dialed in and pretty locked in — especially as the game progressed.”

Cheered on by his wife in the stands, Kershaw (7-2) made quick work of the Rockies in the ninth.

DJ LeMahieu grounded out to first base on the first pitch of the inning and Charlie Culberson hit a lazy fly to right field on the next one. Dickerson then got four straight strikes and went down swinging.

“He’s a bulldog out there. He’s one of the best pitchers in this game, if not the best,” Tulowitzki said. “He was good, no doubt about it. He’s always good. But tonight he was extra special.”

After his 107th and final pitch, a smiling Kershaw raised his arms above his head and waited for a huge hug from Ellis.

“Probably a lot of times when he takes the mound, he has no-hit type stuff, and that was the case tonight,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. “I’ve seen some great pitching performances, but it’s tough to be any better than Kershaw.”

Kershaw’s masterpiece gave the Dodgers the only two no-hitters in the majors this season. Josh Beckett tossed one May 25 in Philadelphia.

“Beckett told me he was going to teach me how to do that, so I have Josh to thank,” Kershaw said during a quick television interview on the field before he was doused by teammates with two large buckets.

The only other time the Dodgers threw two no-hitters in one season was 1956, when the team was still in Brooklyn. Carl Erskine and Sal Maglie turned the trick that year.

Sandy Koufax, who threw four no-hitters, pitched the franchise’s only perfect game on Sept. 9, 1965, against the Chicago Cubs.

“I guess I haven’t really thought of the ramifications of throwing one of these things, but it’s definitely special company,” Kershaw said. “It’s pretty cool.”

Rojas also supported Kershaw with his bat, hitting a three-run double. Gonzalez and Matt Kemp each drove in two runs for the Dodgers.

“I started tearing up out there in the ninth inning,” Ellis said. “It’s a game I’ll watch on replays with my kids forever.”

It was the 22nd no-hitter in Dodgers history and the first at home since Ramon Martinez’s 2-0 gem against the Marlins on July 14, 1995.

“He had command of everything,” Ellis said. “I told him between innings: ‘It’s not fair when you have a devastating slider and a devastating curveball in the same night. And when he does that, nights like this are really possible.”

Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa (6-6) threw 86 pitches over 3 1-3 innings and was charged with eight runs, six hits and five walks. The left-hander is 0-3 with an 8.19 ERA in his last four starts after going 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA during his previous seven outings.

NOTES: The Rockies were no-hit for the third time in franchise history and the second time by the Dodgers. Hideo Nomo threw a no-hitter against them at Coors Field on Sept. 12, 1996, and Al Leiter of the Marlins pitched the other one four months earlier. … Ramirez was replaced on defense by rookie Carlos Triunfel to start the eighth.

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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