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Rockies shut down by Correia, Twins 9-3

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS GEORGATOS
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon’s five-hit performance wasn’t enough to prevent the Colorado Rockies’ 9-3 loss Saturday to the Minnesota Twins. It was still reason for encouragement in the eyes of manager Walt Weiss.

It marked Blackmon’s 29th multihit game of the season, including a career-best six-hit game against Arizona on April 4. It was also his fourth straight multihit game since dealing with a little bit of a lull after a hot start to his season.

“Charlie got off to a phenomenal start and leveled out a little bit like everybody does,” Weiss said. “Good to see Charlie rolling again.”

Blackmon’s five singles was the 11th time he had knocked out three or more hits in a game. Only teammate Troy Tulowitzki (14) and Dee Gordon and Starlin Castro with 12 games each have done it more often in the National League this year.

Still, the Rockies struggled to string together hits or deliver the big hit against Minnesota starter Kevin Correia (5-11), who pitched six innings of one run-ball.

“He was cutting the ball on us really good, going away from the righties and in on the lefties,” Weiss said.

Meanwhile, Colorado starter Tyler Matzek struggled out of the gate.

Matzek took a drive off his left knee by leadoff hitter Brian Dozier. After misfiring on an attempted pickoff play to get Dozier at second base, Eduardo Escobar reached on a fielder’s choice.

“I lollipopped it over,” Matzek said. “I should have chased him down and made a better throw.”

Matzek (1-4) allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings in the loss.

Up 4-1, the Twins secured the win with a three-run eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Chris Parmelee hit a bases-loaded single to drive in a pair, and the third run scored on Dozier’s sacrifice fly.

Minnesota tacked on two more runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Kurt Suzuki and an obstruction call on Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado.

Correia worked out of trouble in the fifth. After giving up consecutive one-out singles, including a run-scoring basehit by Blackmon, Correia induced Tulowitzki to ground into an inning-ending double play.

“You want to come through in those situations,” Tulowitzki said. “Sometimes, it doesn’t happen. We didn’t take very good swings. He got out of trouble making some pitches and got some double plays.”

Matzek was in trouble from the outset, falling behind 2-0 three batters into the game. Dozier led off with a double, Escobar reached on a fielder’s choice and Kendrys Morales followed with a double to score them both.

Escobar put the Twins up 3-0 when he started the third with a homer, his third of the season, and Correia, whose run support is lowest among Twins starters, helped himself with a two-out RBI double in the fourth that he drove down the third-base line.

Matzek walked one and struck out two.

NOTES: Rockies LHP Brett Anderson (0-2) is set to come off the 60-day disabled list to start Sunday’s series finale against the Twins in his first appearance since April 12 at San Francisco, when he broke his left index finger during an at bat. He’ll be opposed by RHP Phil Hughes (9-5). … Correia last had an RBI on July 28, 2011, at Atlanta while with Pittsburgh. … Scott Baker was the last Twins pitcher to double in a game on May 21, 2011, at Arizona. … The Twins improved to 5-9 in interleague play. Colorado fell to 6-8. … Colorado got two ninth-inning runs on Carlos Gonzalez’s RBI double and Tulowitzki’s run-scoring groundout.

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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