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Reds rally for 6-5 win over Pirates

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — A Reds team that hadn’t pulled off a big comeback all season now has two in one week. And it’s been some kind of week.

Two starters got hurt, three infielders went on the disabled list, and the wins kept coming.

Brayan Pena’s pinch-hit single in the eighth inning completed another late rally by the Reds, who overcame more injuries on Friday and beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-5 to keep their momentum going toward the All-Star break.

Pena described this one as a “championship effort.”

“This is a huge victory for us,” he said. “This is the kind of victory that shows what we can do. When we got behind, everybody kept pushing each other.”

Down 5-1 after six innings, the Reds scored twice with the help of third baseman Pedro Alvarez’s throwing error in the seventh and added three more in the eighth. Cincinnati is 7-2 on its 11-game homestand leading into the break.

Devin Mesoraco homered with two outs off left-hander Tony Watson (5-1) in the eighth, and the Reds put together four more singles, with RBI hits by Ramon Santiago and Pena completing Cincinnati’s second big comeback of the week. Cincinnati overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Watson came in with a 0.84 ERA having allowed only one homer and four earned runs all season.

“I don’t want to say it came out of nowhere, but to come back from two outs and nobody on against a Tony Watson who’s throwing missiles, I can’t say enough,” manager Bryan Price said.

Curtis Partch (1-0), called up earlier in the day, escaped a bases-loaded threat in the eighth.

Aroldis Chapman fanned the side in the ninth for his 20th save in 22 chances. He has at least one strikeout in his last 40 appearances, passing Bruce Sutter for the record by a major league reliever since 1900.

Andrew McCutchen and Alvarez homered for a 4-0 lead off Cincinnati’s Mat Latos, who left after only five innings because of back spasms. It was the shortest of his six starts since returning from torn knee cartilage and a strained pitching forearm.

Latos ran hard to first to try to beat out a bunt in the second inning. His back started acting up when he went back to the mound.

“When I was bending over to get the sign for the first batter in the third inning, all of a sudden it felt like one of the middle infielders came up and stabbed me in the back,” Latos said. “It calmed down a little bit for two more innings.”

The Reds have been hit hard by injuries in the past week.

First baseman Joey Votto is on the DL indefinitely with a thigh injury. Second baseman Brandon Phillips tore a ligament in his left thumb and had surgery on Friday. Skip Schumaker was expected to help fill in at second base, but he went on the 7-day concussion list.

Starter Homer Bailey slightly strained his right knee on Thursday, but is expected to make his next turn. Now, it’s Latos who is a question.

Billy Hamilton had a sore hamstring on Thursday and was relegated to pinch-hitting during a 6-4, 12-inning loss to the Cubs. He was back in the lineup on Friday and produced a run right away.

He led off with a bunt toward first baseman Gaby Sanchez, pulling up and whirling his arms as he dodged the tag and then lunged for the base, touching it safely with his hand. He scored from first on Zack Cozart’s double.

NOTES: Mike Leake (7-7), who has won his last five decisions against the Pirates, faces Charlie Morton (5-9) on Saturday. … Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said RHP Gerrit Cole won’t be ready to rejoin the rotation when he’s eligible to come off the DL on July 20. Cole has a sore muscle in his right side. … Neil Walker was 0 for 3 with a walk, ending his 12-game hitting streak. … Alvarez’s 15 homers rank second behind Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier (16) for most by an NL third baseman. … The Reds optioned C Tucker Barnhart to Triple-A Louisville and called up right-handed relievers Carlos Contreras and Partch.

___

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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