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Cubs beat Dodgers 8-2, ending LA’s streak at 6

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The last time Kyle Hendricks pitched at Dodger Stadium he was in high school and there were a couple hundred people in the stands.

The 24-year-old shone on a much bigger stage Friday night, scattering four hits over seven innings in the Chicago Cubs’ 8-2 victory over the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, whose six-game winning streak ended.

“I thought about playing up here, but I didn’t think about this moment,” Hendricks said. “You always have lofty dreams, but I was more concerned about the day-to-day work to get me here.”

Making his fourth major league start after being called up from Triple-A, Hendricks (2-1) allowed one earned run, struck out three and walked one. The rookie had two of Chicago’s 13 hits, including his first in the majors.

“That’s a heck of a lineup over there,” he said. “I was just lucky I could go out there and throw strikes. The guys scored a ton of runs for me, which is always nice, but you can’t relax. You’ve got to still go after the hitters and treat it like a 1-0 lead.”

Starlin Castro had three hits and scored three runs, Ryan Sweeney had two hits and scored twice, and Luis Valbuena homered and drove in two runs for the last-place Cubs, who have won four of their last five.

“Kyle set the tone with his ability to attack the hitters and attack that offense,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. “That gave us an opportunity to go ahead and do what we did on offense.”

Hendricks got dinged in the calf on the first hit of the game by Dee Gordon, but it didn’t affect him.

“It was really fun, having all my family and friends here, and I saw my high school coach right before the game,” he said.

As much as Hendricks enjoyed himself, Dan Haren was left feeling miserable.

The veteran is in the midst of a career-worst five-game skid, having lost all four of his starts in July. The right-hander (8-9) gave up seven runs — six earned — and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings, struck out three and walked two.

“I’m frustrated and embarrassed,” Haren said. “I feel confident coming into the game, but it seems like the same things happen. I didn’t have good stuff. I don’t know why. I should be pitching better. I feel bad for the fans. It’s the toughest time of my career.”

The Cubs scored three runs in the third for a 4-1 lead and another three in the fifth to make it 7-1.

“We made so many mistakes,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “You know you can’t win like that.”

The wildest play of the game occurred on a tag play at home plate in the sixth. It began when Hanley Ramirez grounded into a fielder’s choice to third baseman Valbuena, who forced Scott Van Slyke at second.

Second baseman Arismendy Alcantara tried to complete the double play, but Ramirez got to first in time, forcing Anthony Rizzo to fire to the plate. Yasiel Puig, who was on second, had started home on the throw to first.

Puig slid home, where catcher Wellington Castillo was fully sprawled on the ground. Puig reached to tag the plate with his left hand while keeping his right hand away from Castillo’s outstretched glove in a cat-and-mouse game. Puig was called safe, which the Cubs challenged. There was a 4-minute review before the call was upheld and the Dodgers trailed 8-2.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Left-hander Felix Doubront was added to the roster and placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left calf. He was acquired on Wednesday from Boston for a player to be named. He is 26-22 with a 4.82 ERA and three saves in 98 appearances in the last five years with the Red Sox.

Dodgers: Reliever Paul Maholm walked out on crutches with his right knee in a brace after the game. He will have a MRI on Saturday. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez left the game in the third with a right knee contusion. Puig was taken out for precautionary reasons with mild left hamstring soreness in the seventh. The bad luck didn’t escape first base coach Davey Lopes, who slipped on some steps. “I think that’s it,” Mattingly said with a weak smile after ticking off all the injuries.

ON DECK

Cubs: Tsuyoshi Wada (1-1, 3.38) takes the mound for his fourth major league start. The left-hander has struck out 13 and walked six while holding the opposition to a .254 average in his first three starts. He had Tommy John surgery two years ago, when he was in Baltimore’s farm system.

Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-5, 3.44) starts against the Cubs for just the second time in his career. The left-hander has won three consecutive starts since July 13, going 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA. Ryu has limited opponents to a .186 batting average while striking out 22 and walking two in that span.

ADDING ON

The Cubs added infielder Chris Valaika to the 25-man roster to take Emilio Bonifacio’s spot. Manager Rick Renteria said Valaika will be used all over the lineup to give others a breather.

GETTING CLOSE

Kyuji Fujikawa could join the Cubs next week after his minor league rehab assignment. The right-hander has given up one earned run over five innings in five games at Triple A-Iowa.

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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