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Cubs snap streak with 6-4, 12-inning win over Reds

By WTOP Staff

MARK SCHMETZER
Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Arismendy Alcantara needed just one day to get the feel of the big leagues.

After going 0-for-4 in his major league debut on Wednesday, the highly regarded Cubs prospect had four hits and scored the tying and winning runs as Chicago snapped a six-game losing streak with a 6-4, 12-inning win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

“Today, I felt more comfortable,” said Alcantara, who had a double, triple and stolen base before learning after the game that his stay with the Cubs would be extended. “I was just trying to make contact. I was happy I was able to come up and do the job.”

Alcantara and Starlin Castro both reached base with infield singles in the 12th off of J.J. Hoover (1-6). Valbuena, 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, sent a ball to deep right field that Skip Schumaker couldn’t catch up with and was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it into an inside-the-park home run. The out call stood after a umpire crew chief request for a replay review to make sure the new rule regarding home plate collisions wasn’t violated.

Blake Parker (1-0) pitched the last two innings and the Cubs avoided a rare five-game sweep in Cincinnati.

Ryan Ludwick homered, but the Reds couldn’t overcome a lineup missing more than half of its regulars and the loss of starter Homer Bailey to an injury after five innings.

First baseman Joey Votto is on the disabled list, second baseman Brandon Phillips and center fielder both were out after leaving Wednesday’s game with injuries and right fielder Jay Bruce and catcher Devin Mesoraco didn’t start, but the Reds still pounced on Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks for three first-inning runs.

The Reds were hoping to sweep the Cubs in a five-game series for the first time since 1931, but instead failed for the third time to extend a winning streak to six games.

Alcantara recorded his first major league hit — a two-run double in the fourth off of Homer Bailey — and drove in three runs.

Bailey left the game after feeling pain in the patellar tendon of his right knee while trying to pitch to Castro leading off the sixth. Bailey completed his motion but didn’t throw the ball and left the game after meeting on the mound with manager Bryan Price and trainer Paul Lessard. He was officially diagnosed as having a strained knee.

Bailey allowed three runs and two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. He also hit two batters.

Hendricks was making his major league debut and looked like it, opening the game with a four-pitch walk to Chris Heisey and going 3-0 to Skip Schumaker before the right-hander threw a strike. Schumaker walked on the next pitch and Brayan Pena drove in Heisey with a double into the right-field corner. Ludwick and Ramon Santiago followed with RBI singles.

Hendricks settled down to last six innings, allowing five hits and four runs with three walks and seven strikeouts. He also hit a batter.

“I wish I could have that first inning back, but I’ll remember the last five,” said Hendricks, who is expected to be optioned to Triple-A Iowa, since the Cubs won’t need another starter for a while. “I’ll take what I did and move on from there.”

Cubs manager Rick Renteria was happy with what he got from both of his rookies.

“Hendricks kept us in the game,” Renteria said. “He did a nice job. Arismendy did a nice job. We just kept playing.”

Chris Coghlan drove in Hendricks with a double off the left-center field wall in third inning, but Ludwick got that run back in the bottom of the inning with his sixth homer of the season, a 381-foot shot into the left field seats on a 1-0 pitch.

Alcantara scored the tying run in the eighth on Castro’s single off of Jonathan Broxton.

“It’s baseball so you have these situations over the course of the year,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “Castro did a nice job getting the hit in the eighth. You have to acknowledge the fact that they played a nice ballgame. (Hendricks) worked around a three-run first inning and really held us down. It wasn’t so much that it got away from us as they went out and outplayed us.”

Notes: The game was delayed briefly in the middle of the ninth inning by a bench- and bullpen-clearing altercation. … Chapman’s strikeout of pinch-hitter Justin Ruggiano leading off the ninth gave him at least one in 39 consecutive appearances, tying the major league record set by Bruce Sutter in 1977. … The Reds promoted INF Kristopher Negron from Triple-A Louisville and optioned RHP Carlos Contreras to Louisville before the game. RHP Brett Marshall was designated for assignment to make room for Negron on the 40-man roster. … Chicago optioned RHP Dallas Beeler to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the 25-man roster for Hendricks.

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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