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Cubs beat Rockies in 16 innings, 4-3

By WTOP Staff

MATT CARLSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Both the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies ran out of relief pitchers in a marathon game. The Rockies then turned to a starter. The Cubs used a catcher — and won.

John Baker scored the winning run in the bottom of the 16th inning after pitching a scoreless top half, and the Cubs overcame a three-run deficit to beat Colorado 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Baker scored on Starlin Castro’s fly to end a game that lasted 6 hours, 27 minutes, a record for longest game by time for both teams.

“It’s really cool to get a chance to do this,” Baker said. “I was having trouble not smiling on the mound. You never get opportunities to do things like this.”

The 33-year-old Baker joked that might not have pitched since he was college-aged.

“It was the Cape Cod League,” he said. “I believe I had like a 27.00 ERA, but I was getting squeezed from what I remember.”

Chicago used seven relievers before Baker (1-0) became the first Cubs position player to take the mound since Aug. 27, 2012, when Joe Mather faced Milwaukee.

The Rockies also used all seven relievers in their bullpen, then turned to Tyler Matzek, a starter in the 16th.

Matzek (2-5) walked Baker to lead off the inning. Baker advanced to second on a sacrifice, then third on Anthony Rizzo’s bloop single before scoring.

“I’ve thrown in the pen before and had a routine down,” Matzek said. “So it wasn’t anything crazy. I just didn’t execute.”

Chicago’s Emilio Bonifacio had game-tying two-run homer in the fourth inning and a double among four hits. He is 14 for 35 since returning from the disabled list (strained right oblique) on July 22.

Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau returned from the disabled list and drove in two runs with a double. Corey Dickerson added two hits and an RBI

Morneau, who had been out since July 13 with a strained neck, entered hitting .312, third best in the National League. He leads Colorado with 62 RBIs.

Cubs starter Edwin Jackson lasted through just four innings, laboring with 105 pitches, and allowing three runs on six hits and three walks.

Jackson allowed all three Colorado runs in the first, then Chicago’s bullpen — plus Baker — held the Rockies scoreless for 15 innings.

“When you go 15 innings without scoring a run, you don’t deserve to win,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said.

Rockies ace Jorge De La Rosa pitched six innings, allowing three runs and striking out seven. The left-hander entered with wins in five straight decisions dating to June 24.

Both teams had chances to win in the 10th.

Colorado’s D.J. LeMahieu missed on a suicide squeeze with Morneau on third and Charlie Culberson on second. Morneau was tagged out by catcher Welington Castillo.

In the bottom of the inning, Castillo lined a drive deep to center field with one out and Castro on second. But the Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon raced back and made a spectacular diving catch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: In addition to Morneau, the Rockies activated left-handed reliever Boone Logan from the DL (diverticulitis/intestinal inflammation). Logan pitched a scoreless ninth. The Rockies also recalled infielder Cristhian Adames from Triple-A Colorado Springs before the game because infielder Josh Rutledge has an upper-respiratory infection.

Cubs: The Cubs placed right-handed reliever Neil Ramirez on the 15-day disabled list with a sore triceps.

ON DECK

Colorado left-hander Brett Anderson (1-3, 3.24 ERA) faces Chicago left-hander Travis Wood (7-9, 5.06 ERA) on Wednesday night. Anderson allowed no runs and two hits in 6 1-3 innings last Friday to earn his first win with Colorado. Wood is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in four career games against the Rockies.

CLEAR PICTURE:

Morneau went 2 for 4 in a rehab game at Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday, but really felt ready to return when an MRI of his neck showed no serious damage, such as nerve impingement. “Hopefully it’s good to for the rest of the year,” he said.

GUT-CHECK

Logan said the pain from his diverticulitis was debilitating and affected his pitching shoulder. “My (left) collarbone was killing me,” he said. “It was like it was broke in half because of the pain shooting.”

DEALING?

Are the Cubs potential sellers as Thursday’s trade deadline nears? “I expect to be active, we’re having a lot of conversations,” GM Jed Hoyer said. “It’s still early, but tomorrow is sort of moving day.”

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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