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Phillies lose to Marlins 5-4 in 11 innings

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

MIAMI (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies mounted an eighth-inning rally Tuesday by hitting two homers in a span of three pitches.

Those were their last baserunners.

The offensive lull came at the wrong time, and Ed Lucas’ single scored the winning run from second base with one out in the 11th inning Tuesday night to help the Miami Marlins win 5-4, extending the Phillies’ losing streak to five games.

Philadelphia dropped a season-worst 9½ games out of first place in the NL East.

“It just seems like the games we’re close to, we just don’t win them,” said A.J. Burnett, who pitched six innings. “We’ve been in spots to win a lot of ballgames.”

The Phillies overcame a 4-2 deficit in the eighth with back-to-back two-out homers by Marlon Byrd and Cody Asche off Kevin Gregg. Byrd clanked his 16th homer off the home-run sculpture, and Asche pulled his fifth homer just inside the foul pole.

After the homers, Miami’s bullpen retired the final 10 Phillies batters. Bryan Morris (6-0) pitched two innings.

“The offense has been inconsistent, sporadic, and it has made it tough on the starting pitcher that day trying to be perfect,” Phils manager Ryne Sandberg said. “The bullpen has stepped up and done its job, putting zeroes late in the game, only to come short on the offensive side of things a lot of the times.”

The Marlins won their ninth consecutive game when Henderson Alvarez starts, matching the longest such streak with a pitcher in franchise history. Alvarez allowed two runs in seven innings.

Pinch-hitter Jeff Baker singled to start the 11th inning against Justin De Fratus (2-1), advanced on a sacrifice and scored without a play on Lucas’ opposite-field hit.

The Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton singled home a run to increase his RBI total to 61, which leads the NL. Casey McGehee singled and scored and has reached base in 25 consecutive games.

Miami also scored on a strikeout against Burnett, who struck out 10 but allowed four runs, three earned. He walked four.

“Burnett had some walks that came into play, and he was uncharacteristically wild,” Sandberg said. “He had the one wild-pitch K that he could have got out of the inning with one run in there instead of two.”

Alvarez was better, and even when he was on his backside, the Phillies had trouble reaching base. When Burnett broke his bat on a dribbler, Alvarez leaped to avoid the barrel and then crumpled in a heap on the mound. He watched from a supine position as third baseman McGehee threw Burnett out.

Alvarez again fell fielding Cameron Rupp’s one-hopper in the seventh, and while sitting on the mound tossed to first for the out.

The Marlins’ Steve Cishek also had a highlight-reel moment, reaching behind his back to snare another one-hopper by Rupp for an out in the ninth.

The Phillies began the game in an 0-for-20 slump with runners in scoring position, but ended the drought in the first inning when Jimmy Rollins doubled and Chase Utley singled him home.

NOTES: Phillies LHP Cliff Lee (elbow) threw 60 pitches in three innings in a simulated game Tuesday and said he felt good. He’s expected to make one or two rehabilitation starts before rejoining the rotation, likely after the All-Star break. … Phils C Carlos Ruiz (concussion) has yet to show much improvement. … Three-time All-Star Grady Sizemore, who signed a minor league deal last week, might join the Phillies during their trip, manager Ryne Sandberg said. … Marlins RHP A.J. Ramos (shoulder) hasn’t pitched since Thursday and is likely headed for the disabled list, manager Mike Redmond said. … Marlins fan Jonathan Esponda, 8, whose gyrations in the stands became an Internet video sensation, threw out the first pitch and then danced with team mascot Billy the Marlin. … LHP Cole Hamels (2-4, 2.84) is scheduled to start Wednesday for the Phillies against RHP Tom Koehler (5-6, 3.70).

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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