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Watson fails, Reds rally for 6-5 win over Pirates

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Pittsburgh’s All-Star reliever couldn’t get one more out. It’s been that kind of a road trip for the Pirates bullpen.

Tony Watson gave up three runs with two outs in the eighth inning Friday night as the Cincinnati Reds rallied for a 6-5 victory. Brayan Pena’s pinch-hit single completed another late surge by Cincinnati.

Watson (5-1) gave up a two-out solo homer by Devin Mesoraco and then four consecutive singles, with RBI hits by Ramon Santiago and Pena finishing off the Reds’ second big comeback of the week.

“He’s been lights-out for us all year,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “Tonight he wasn’t able to get that last out. He wasn’t able to put ’em away, and that’s been one of his best attributes since he’s been here.”

Watson has been scored upon in only five of his 44 appearances. Mesoraco’s homer was only the second off the left-hander this season. Coming into the game, he had allowed only four earned runs all season for a 0.84 ERA.

“I didn’t put anything where I had to,” Watson said. “The guys played a great game. Just one of those nights. I put it on myself.”

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 All-Star break.

The Pirates fell to 1-4 on their road trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati. They lost two games to the Cardinals on game-ending homers.

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 Pedro 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.

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.

McCutchen connected with one out in the fourth, tying it at 1 with his 18th career homer against the Reds. It’s the most by any player against the Reds since the start of the 2009 season.

Jay Bruce, a right fielder playing first base for the third time in his career, botched Neil Walker’s grounder for an error. Latos walked Russell Martin, and Alvarez hit his 15th homer deep to right field for a 4-1 lead. Latos had allowed a total of four runs in his last three starts.

NOTES: Mike Leake (7-7), who has won his last five decisions against the Pirates, faces Charlie Morton (5-9) on Saturday. … 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. … 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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