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Wong helps Masterson win Cards debut

By WTOP Staff

STEVE OVERBEY
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke has come to expect the best from Kyle Lohse.

So Roenicke was stunned when the right-hander gave up nine runs in a 9-7 loss at St. Louis on Saturday.

“He’s been so consistent that it surprises you when he’s that off with his command,” Roenicke said. “It’s hard to explain why. But it happens.”

Lohse turned in his second worst outing of the season. He gave up eight hits in a short four-inning effort. He gave up eight earned runs in a 15-5 loss at Pittsburgh on June 6.

“I was just not commanding my pitches,” Lohse said. “I never got in a groove.”

The Milwaukee offense battled back from 6-1 and 9-5 deficits, but could get no closer than to within two runs.

“I was happy with the offense,” Roenicke said. “I thought we were patient and got some big hits.”

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny decided at the last minute against giving slumping infielder Kolten Wong the day off on Saturday. It proved to be a smart move.

Wong homered and had three RBIs to lead a 12-hit attack.

St. Louis, which had lost three of its previous four, moved two games behind first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central. The Brewers had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Wong, who entered the contest mired in a 6 for 36 skid, went 3 for 5. He slammed a bases-loaded single to trigger a five-run outburst in the second inning that put St. Louis ahead to stay 6-1. He also hit a solo homer in the first.

“That worked out fine for all of us,” Matheny said of the late pre-game move. “It was nice to see him bounce back. With a young player, when he has a couple of rough days, you wonder, ‘can he leave it behind and go back to having a nice approach.’ He jumped right in and had some big at-bats.”

Wong was 2 for 3 in his career against Brewers starter Kyle Lohse, a key factor in Matheny leaving him in the lineup.

Wong, who entered the game hitless in his previous eight at-bats, spent some extra time studying his approaches at the plate following Friday’s 7-4 loss to Milwaukee.

“I knew the reason I was striking out as soon as the game finished yesterday,” Wong said. “I was swinging way too hard trying to do way too much.”

Masterson (1-0) gave up five runs on seven hits over six innings. He was acquired from Cleveland on Wednesday for minor league outfielder James Ramsey.

“There was a little rust out there,” Masterson said. “But with that intense offense that we had, and some solid defense, that makes it fun to be out there.”

ANCHORS AWEIGH

Former US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell threw out the first pitch. Luttrell was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his actions in June 2005 as part of Operation Red Wings. He wrote the best-selling novel, The Lone Survivor, which has been turned into a movie starring Mark Wahlberg.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: OF Jon Jay missed his fourth successive game with a sore wrist suffered on a check swing July 29 at San Diego. He says the wrist is improving and he could return to the starting lineup as early as Tuesday against Boston.

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson, who was scratched from Saturday’s start due to a blister on his finger, will start on Tuesday against San Francisco.

ON DECK

John Lackey (11-7, 3.60) will make his St. Louis debut on Sunday in the final game of the three-game series. He will be opposed by Matt Garza (7-7, 3.74). The Cardinals obtained Lackey on Thursday from Boston in exchange for OF Allen Craig and RHP Joe Kelly.

LONG LASTING

The Brewers have been in first place in the NL Central every day since April 5, a streak covering 121 successive days. They lost two of their first three games to open the season and spent two days in third place and one each in second and fourth before taking over the top spot.

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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