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McCutchen spoils Reds’ comeback, Pirates win in 11

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Once again, the Reds ran into too much McCutchen.

Andrew McCutchen tied the game with a solo homer in the ninth inning Saturday night, then connected again in the 11th inning, rallying the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over Cincinnati.

The Pirates blew a four-run lead for the second straight night, but managed to come back behind McCutchen, who has more homers against Cincinnati than anyone else since 2009.

With two swings, the National League’s 2013 MVP saved them from another discouraging meltdown and ended the Reds’ hopes of a second straight comeback.

“We know what they have over there,” outfielder Jay Bruce said. “A guy hits the tying and winning home runs — you don’t see that too often. I’m perfectly happy with what we did tonight, except for losing.”

McCutchen tied it in the ninth off Jonathan Broxton, filling in the closer’s role because Aroldis Chapman had pitched four days in a row. He hit his 17th homer with two outs in the 11th off J.J. Hoover (1-7) for his ninth career multihomer game.

Justin Wilson (3-1) got out of a threat in the 10th with the help of right fielder Gregory Polanco, who threw Ramon Santiago out at the plate as he tried to score from second base on Bruce’s single.

“They outlasted us,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “McCutchen did a nice job, not just offensively with the two home runs, but with the ground he covered. Polanco made a huge throw. We did a lot of things to win the game. They went out and earned it. Both teams had chances to win.”

McCutchen put the Pirates back ahead with a first-pitch homer off Hoover.

“I was just ready to hit,” he said. “It was a slider right down the middle, and I was ready to hit it.”

Jeanmar Gomez pitched the 11th for his first career save.

The Reds won the series opener 6-5 by rallying in the eighth inning against All-Star reliever Tony Watson, overcoming a four-run deficit. They pulled out of a four-run deficit again on Saturday but couldn’t finish it off.

McCutchen has 20 career homers against Cincinnati, the most by any player in the majors since 2009. He’s hit six of them this season, including three during the first two games of the series.

The Reds slipped to 7-3 on their 11-game homestand, remaining 1 1/2 games behind NL Central co-leaders Milwaukee and St. Louis. Cincinnati is 8-4 against the Pirates this season.

Pittsburgh is 2-4 on a trip to St. Louis and Cincinnati. The Pirates gave up two game-ending homers in St. Louis and blew a four-run lead in the series opener, a 6-5 Reds win.

The Reds got in position to win it with a pair of homers.

Chris Heisey batted for Mike Leake in the sixth and hit a two-run shot off Charlie Morton. Todd Frazier — who will participate in the All-Star home run derby next week — completed the comeback with a three-run shot off Morton, who had given up a total of six homers coming into the game.

NOTES: All-Star Johnny Cueto (9-6) starts the final game of the series for Cincinnati. The Pirates plan to activate left-hander Francisco Liriano (1-6) off the disabled list. He has recovered from a strained oblique. … McCutchen has hit safely in 11 of the 12 games against Cincinnati this season, going 20-for-47 with four doubles, six homers and eight RBIs. … The Reds optioned reliever Curtis Partch, who got the win Friday night, to Triple-A Louisville and brought up INF Neftali Soto, giving them four position players available on the bench. … It was Heisey’s eighth career pinch-hit homer, his second this season.

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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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