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Cosart runs out of gas in Marlins debut

By WTOP Staff

CHRISTOPHER STOCK
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Jarred Cosart was solid through five innings in his debut with the Miami Marlins before struggling in the sixth.

Cosart (0-1) gave up four runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings one day after being acquired from Houston and the Marlins lost 5-2 to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.

“I thought he looked good for five innings and looked like he just ran out of gas there in the sixth,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.

Marlins All-Star slugger Giancarlo Stanton homered in his third consecutive game to give him a National League-best 26.

Miami has lost three straight after winning six in a row.

Cincinnati starter Mat Latos finally broke through with a win against his hometown Marlins. Latos (3-3), who hails from nearby Coconut Creek, allowed one run in seven strong innings to beat Miami for the first time in eight career starts.

“I battled,” Latos said. “I had to bear down when I needed to. I made some good pitches and the offense picked me up today. A good game all around.”

He allowed one run on five hits and four walks while striking out five.

“He pitched well, mixed his speeds in, and we had a couple shots there to get to him early, but just couldn’t get that big hit,” Redmond said.

Aroldis Chapman got the last three outs for his 25th save in 27 chances.

“It’s a great team victory,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “We dodged a few bullets.”

The Reds’ Todd Frazier and the Marlins’ Jordany Valdespin traded RBI singles before the Reds scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead.

Cosart retired the first nine batters he faced and recorded his first hit in the majors before running into trouble in the pivotal sixth. Cosart was pulled after he loaded the bases in favor of Chris Hatcher, who immediately allowed a two-run double to Ludwick.

“It’s a whirlwind, but (catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia) made it pretty easy on me,” Cosart said. “We pretty much had a game plan and for the most part I executed it.”

Stanton’s solo homer in the eighth pulled Miami to 4-2.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: Brandon Phillips (left thumb) joined the team on the road trip and fielded ground balls on Thursday, but there is no timetable of when he will be able to swing the bat. “I don’t think he’s close, but I don’t know what close is whether it’s five days or two weeks, I’m not sure,” said Price, who added that the target date for Phillips’ return remains late August.

Marlins: All-Star pitcher Henderson Alvarez was placed on the 15-day disabled list before the game with shoulder inflammation. Alvarez, who was scheduled to start Sunday’s game, is 8-5 with a 2.48 ERA. “I don’t know if it’s in the same spot or the same type of pain he had last year, but we’re going to get him checked out and make sure we get him healthy,” Redmond said. “Hopefully we caught it early enough where it’s not a huge deal; just 15 days on the DL hopefully, that’s the hope.”

ON DECK

The Reds will start right-hander Homer Bailey (8-5, 4.03) on Saturday against Marlins righty Nathan Eovaldi (5-6, 4.37). Bailey has pitched at least eight innings in three of his last five starts and is 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA during that span. Eovaldi is 0-2 with a 9.92 ERA in his last three starts.

STANTON’S POWER SURGE

Stanton has homered in three consecutive games for the first time since a three-game streak from Sept. 7-9, 2012. He hit his 143rd career home run tying Mike Lowell for third on the Club’s all-time list. “He’s swinging the bat,” Redmond said. “We just have got to get a couple other guys in front of him on base consistently and get some other guys to get some big hits. We’ve been pretty quiet the last couple of days.”

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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