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Baez hits 2 HRs, drives in 4 as Cubs beat Rockies

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — The Chicago Cubs’ future looks bright even if their present is a little disappointing.

Rookie Javier Baez hit two more homers and drove in four runs, leading Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs to a 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

The 21-year-old Baez also had an RBI single in his third major league game. The touted prospect homered in his debut Tuesday, hitting a game-deciding shot in the 12th inning on the day he was promoted from the minors.

“It didn’t surprise me too much,” said Hendricks, who had the best outing of his short career. “I’ve seen it for a couple of years and he always thrives on the big stage. Whenever we play in a big game he does well.”

The Cubs (49-64) closed out a six-game trip by taking two of three in the series between last-place teams.

Baez led off the sixth inning with a shot down the left-field line against Yohan Flande (0-4). He hit a two-run shot off Juan Nicasio into the Colorado bullpen in right in the eighth.

“I was letting the fastball get deep and he threw me a slider,” Baez said of his second drive. “I hit it really good.”

Castro followed Baez’s shot in the sixth with his 12th home run. It was the fourth time this season Chicago has hit back-to-back homers.

Hendricks (3-1) pitched a career-high eight innings after the start of the game was delayed 39 minutes because of rain. The rookie right-hander has pitched into the seventh inning in four of his five career starts.

“He’s a very poised young man and he’s the type of kid when he prepares for the test he knows he’s going to do well,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. “I hope he’s making believers out of a lot of people.”

The 24-year-old Hendricks was sharp against the Rockies, allowing just two runs and six hits. He didn’t allow a runner until Charlie Blackmon’s leadoff single in the fourth.

After Baez and Castro gave Hendricks a three-run cushion in the sixth, the Rockies scored on Corey Dickerson’s RBI single in the bottom half. Hendricks retired the last seven batters he faced.

“I felt really good,” he said. “Usually as the game goes on I get stronger and stronger.”

Justin Morneau and Wilin Rosario had two hits each for the Rockies (45-69), who have lost six of seven.

The Cubs took a 2-0 lead against Flande with RBI singles by Arsmendy Alcantara in the second and Baez in the third. Colorado cut the lead in half on Morneau’s RBI single in the fourth.

Flande is still looking for his first career win despite two solid starts against Chicago. He struck out a career-high eight in a 4-1 loss to the Cubs on July 28 and lasted six innings Thursday.

“I pitched was well as I could. Something always happens to me in the late innings,” Flande said. “I’m disappointed.”

ALMOST COMPLETE

Hendricks was thinking after seven innings he had a chance for his first complete game. Two batters into the eighth he knew it wasn’t going to happen.

“I went into the eighth at around 91 (pitches) and after I went full count on the first two hitters that kind of went out the window,” he said. “I was trying to get quick outs but I was almost aiming it in there so I could go out for the ninth.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: First baseman Anthony Rizzo was given a rare day off with the left-hander Flande on the mound. It was just the second day off for Rizzo, who is second in the NL with 25 home runs.

Rockies: Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (left hip flexor strain) has begun baseball activities and will travel to Arizona and San Diego with the team. Tulowitzki is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list but hasn’t been running at full speed. Manager Walt Weiss said that will be the final hurdle for the major league batting leader.

ON DECK

Cubs: Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada (1-1, 3.32 ERA), like Hendricks on Thursday, is making his fifth career big league start when he faces Tampa Bay on Friday. He has held opponents to a .259 average in his first four starts.

Rockies: Lefty Tyler Matzek (2-6, 5.31 ERA) will try to rebound from a rough outing in Detroit last weekend when he faces Arizona on Friday. Matzek is one of four Colorado starters to make his major league debut this year, and he has been impressive at times. His outing against the Tigers was the only start in which he failed to go at least five innings.

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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