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Negron hits 1st homer in Reds’ 6-3 win over Bucs

By WTOP Staff

MARK SCHMETZER
Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Kris Negron waited a long time for his first major league home run. When it came, he was in a hurry to celebrate with his teammates.

Negron hit a three-run homer, All-Star Todd Frazier added a two-run shot and the Cincinnati Reds rolled into the break with a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

Called up from Triple-A Louisville on Thursday for his first appearance in the majors since playing four games in 2012, Negron hit an opposite-field homer to right off Francisco Liriano in the second inning.

The RBIs were the first of his career, and the hit was his second.

“Negron is a tempo guy,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “You could tell it was a surreal moment for him because he was flying around the bases. It was a lifetime achievement.

Negron has been in professional baseball for nine years. He was promoted from the minors when second baseman Brandon Phillips was put on the disabled list with torn ligaments in his left thumb.

“I was so amped up that I was around the bases as quickly as I could be,” Negron said. “I love playing this game. You have your ups and downs but you have to keep playing. I’m not thinking about how long I’m going to be here. I’m just blessed with the opportunity and I’m going to keep playing whenever my number is called.”

The game was delayed by rain for 56 minutes with Pittsburgh batting in the top of the fifth.

Frazier lined a drive just inside the right-field foul pole on the first pitch from Vance Worley in the sixth to help the Pirates finish 2-5 on their road trip.

“They got two good swings,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “We came in and looked at Frazier’s home run. That was a good piece of hitting. We had something going after the rain delay. We were one pitch away from popping it. We weren’t able to get that big swing.”

The Reds went 8-3 on their 11-game homestand against Milwaukee, the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh to finish the first half 10-0-1 in series against those Central Division-opponents. They are 0-3 in series against St. Louis.

Johnny Cueto, another Reds All-Star, overcame Neil Walker’s home run and the rain delay to last six innings.

Cueto (10-6) allowed five hits and three runs with two walks and seven strikeouts. He also hit a batter.

“It was muggy and he was on base a couple times,” Price said. “He took advantage of the rain delay. He got out of the heat.”

Cueto rushed off to Minnesota for the All-Star game.

Jumbo Diaz pitched the seventh, and Jonathan Broxton worked the eighth before Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth for his 21st save.

Diaz is another player added to the roster after a lengthy stint of 10 years in the minor leagues. He was invited to spring training for the first time in his career this spring and dropped 70 pounds to give him his first shot at the big leagues.

“He’s throwing the ball over,” said Price of his 274-pound reliever. “A lot of guys will try to miss the bat, but he comes right at the hitter with a 94 mile an hour fastball and a good slider.”

Chapman’s fanning of leadoff batter Pedro Alvarez extended his record strikeout streak to 41 straight appearances.

Liriano’s start was his first since June 10 against the Chicago Cubs, when he strained his left oblique strain. He tied his season high by issuing six walks for the second time in three starts.

Liriano (1-7) lasted four innings, allowing three hits and three runs with four strikeouts and a wild pitch. He left the bases loaded in two of his four innings.

“I was a little excited going out to pitch,” Liriano said. “I tried to do too much.”

Devin Mesoraco drove in Jay Bruce from first base with a double off the left-center field wall in the fifth.

NOTES: Reds IF Ramon Santiago was available but his left shoulder was sore after his attempt at a diving backhand stop of Travis Snider’s grounder on Saturday. … Reds RHP Alfredo Simon was added to the NL All-Star team.

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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