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Bethancourt ties game, Braves lose to Cubs in 9th

By WTOP Staff

CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Wood’s pitching kept the Atlanta Braves close, and Christian Bethancourt’s two-out single in the ninth inning tied it.

Yet once again, it wasn’t enough for Atlanta.

Justin Ruggiano hit an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Chicago Cubs beat the Braves 5-4 Friday. The Braves have lost five of six following a nine-game winning streak.

Bethancourt made his season debut with the Braves on June 28. The 22-year-old catcher has made a nice impression with manager Fredi Gonzalez.

“I’m happy for him,” Gonzalez said. “I’m really happy about his defense, how he called the game and handled the situations. I’m glad to see the bats come along too.”

For Wood, the game began to slip away in the sixth inning.

With one out and the bases loaded, Wood got Chris Coghlan to hit a grounder, but the ball found a hole in the left side of the infield and went for an RBI single that made it 3-all.

“It’s just one of those things,” Wood said following the loss. “You hope for a double play out of that, and it ends up squeaking through.”

Wood pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits and three walks. Those were the most runs Wood has given up since April 29.

The 23-year-old left-hander struck out six.

Jordan Schafer stole three bases for Atlanta and was caught stealing once.

“Schafer had a great day. He stole three bags, he got on base, played nice defense. And BJ (Upton) been doing nice in the leadoff spot. I’m happy with those guys at the top of the order. Now we need to keep the line moving, and we will,” Gonzalez said.

Arismendy Alcantara singled with two outs off Jordan Walden (0-1) in the Cubs ninth and stole second. Ruggiano then got a hit that slipped past shortstop Andrelton Simmons to win it.

Cubs starter Jake Arrieta gave up three runs and four hits in 7 2-3 innings. He struck out six and walked three.

Arrieta left with a 4-3 lead but wound up with a no-decision when Cubs closer Hector Rondon (2-3) couldn’t hold the lead in the ninth.

Rondon allowed a leadoff double to Jason Heyward in the ninth. After retiring the next two batters, Rondon gave up Bethancourt’s single. It was Rondon’s third blown save of the season.

Freddie Freeman drove in two runs for Atlanta.

After retiring the first six batters, Wood gave up a leadoff double to Coghlan in the third inning. Coghlan stole third and scored on Arrieta’s perfectly executed squeeze. With two outs, Ruggiano’s single drove in Mike Olt to make it 2-0.

Arrieta was unable to hold the lead. He walked Schafer in the fourth and gave up his first hit of the game, a double to Simmons. Freeman and Justin Upton had RBI grounders.

In the sixth, Wood reached on an infield single, his first hit in the majors, and moved up on Schafer’s sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Freeman doubled off the ivy in center field for a 3-2 lead.

The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth. Junior Lake struck out and broke the bat over his knee. Coghlan hit a tying single and Braves reliever Shae Simmons walked Luis Valbuena on four straight pitches to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead.

NOTES: Braves LHP Mike Minor is scheduled to make his second career start against the Cubs on Saturday. In his previous start, he gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings.

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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