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McCutchen gets key hit, then hit, Bucs top D-backs

By WTOP Staff

JOSE M. ROMERO
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Andrew McCutchen had plenty to say about being hit by a pitch squarely in the lower middle of his back in the ninth inning with his team up by four runs and runners on second and third.

Most of it involved expressing his displeasure about the whole thing and he was wearing a bandage covering the spot where he was hit as he dressed into street clothes after the Pittsburgh Pirates had beaten the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-3 on Saturday night.

In McCutchen’s mind, and likely those of many who saw what transpired, he was hit by Arizona reliever Randall Delgado on purpose. The count was 2-0 with one out when it happened, and the Pirates’ All-Star outfielder stayed in the game and eventually scored.

The NL MVP was plunked a day after Pirates reliever Ernesto Frieri hit Diamondbacks star Paul Goldschmidt in the left hand, causing a fracture that put him on the disabled list.

“Sure it did,” McCutchen said with a hint of sarcasm when told that Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said the pitch from Delgado got away from him. “They had all game to retaliate. They had the first inning to retaliate. They had the first pitch (of the ninth inning at-bat) to retaliate. They missed. You throw a slider on the second pitch and then you throw up and in on the next pitch. Are you trying to hurt me too? That’s the question.

“We understand that retaliation is going to happen in this game. But you know, there’s a right way to do it,” McCutchen added. “If you’re going to hit me, hit me. . He hit me square in the spine. If I get hurt, what happens then?”

Asked if he thought it was intentional, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle repeated the words “The game takes care of itself.”

Delgado looked dejected as he walked off the mound, head down, following his ejection for hitting McCutchen.

“I was trying to work my corners and unfortunately the ball moved. I think maybe I didn’t have control,” he said.

The Pirates broke the game open late, just as they did the previous night. McCutchen drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single off third baseman Andy Marte’s glove that keyed a four-run eighth inning to make it 5-1.

It was 1-all when Josh Harrison, who had homered earlier, opened the Pittsburgh eighth with an infield hit and Gregory Polanco reached on catcher’s interference. McCutchen’s sharp ground ball glanced off Marte’s glove and into left field, breaking the tie.

Arizona reliever Brad Ziegler’s throwing error later helped the Pirates break away. Brent Morel, inserted into the game at third base in the sixth inning with Pedro Alvarez struggling through an 0-for-3 night, hit an RBI double in the eighth and a two-run single in the ninth.

Harrison is 14 for 31 in his last seven games. Until striking out in the fifth, he had four straight at-bats with an extra-base hit and seven straight hits that went for extra bases.

Starters Vance Worley of the Pirates and Chase Anderson of the Diamondbacks both threw six innings and allowed one run.

Jared Hughes (6-2) got the win with a scoreless seventh. Ziegler (4-2) took the loss.

Frieri came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, but there were no further incidents. David Peralta hit a two-run homer off Frieri. Peralta went 3 for 5 to raise his average to .319 and he drove in all of the Diamondbacks’ runs with a home run and a single. A double he hit in the third inning hit just below the yellow home run line in center field.

A CATCH FOR ‘CUTCH’

The Pirates turned what could have been a big inning for the Diamondbacks into nothing thanks to two fine catches from left fielder Travis Snider and center fielder McCutchen in the second. Snider robbed Didi Gregorious of a hit by diving to catch a line drive, and McCutchen stole a hit from Marte with a sliding catch in shallow right-center that looked to be a trapped ball. The play was challenged by Gibson but the out call was upheld after a 2-minute, 49-second review.

HOT HARRISON

Harrison is batting .303 after a 3 for 4 night in which he scored three times.

“Trying to have good at-bats and not miss pitches,” Harrison said of his recent success. “Getting pitches out over the plate that I can handle and just putting the barrel on it.”

Hurdle has enjoyed it.

“He’s had a knack of getting things going,” he said.

ON DECK

Diamondbacks: Right-hander Trevor Cahill (1-8) starts the finale of the four-game series Sunday. He is 2-1 with a 4.08 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh.

Pirates: Left-hander Francisco Liriano makes his 19th start of the season. He’s 3-7 with a 3.97 ERA. Opponents are batting only .231 against him this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Infielder Cliff Pennington and outfielder A.J. Pollock are on rehab assignments and last played in a rookie league game on Thursday.

Pirates: Second baseman Neil Walker was a late scratch from Saturday’s lineup with back tightness. Harrison, originally Saturday’s left fielder, replaced Walker at second base.

Outfielder Starling Marte was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis. He has been on the concussion disabled list since July 23.

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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