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Padres held to 5 hits in 2-1 loss to Pirates

By WTOP Staff

NATE BARNES
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Seth Smith worked a seven-pitch walk to load the bases with no outs in the sixth inning, and it looked as if San Diego would finally overcome a one-run deficit to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Padres came away with nothing instead. Vance Worley needed just two pitches to wiggle out of the jam, with Jedd Gyorko bouncing into a double play and Yonder Alonso popping up to left field, and Pittsburgh went on to a 2-1 victory.

With two of his team’s hottest hitters at the plate in that situation, San Diego manager Bud Black called the result “frustrating.”

“You want to be aggressive,” Black said. “You don’t want to fall behind. They’ve been swinging the bat well. You want them up there in that situation.”

Gregory Polanco and Josh Harrison had three hits apiece for the Pirates, who have won three in a row and five of seven. Worley (5-1) struck out seven in seven innings of one-run ball.

Ian Kennedy (8-10) gave up two runs, one earned, and seven hits in six innings for San Diego. He struck out five and walked three.

“I tried to grind through it,” Kennedy said. “It was a little bit of a battle. I fell behind a lot of guys, ran my pitch count up, so I was happy I was able to grind through it and get through six.”

Kennedy escaped his own bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third, but Pittsburgh’s two runs in the first held up.

“(The Padres) were able to get out of a bases-loaded jam earlier in the game,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “We were able to get one out and kind of hold serve on it and that was really the difference in the game for both teams.”

Tony Watson preserved the one-run lead with a perfect eighth and Mark Melancon picked up his career-high 21st save by striking out the side in the ninth.

“We just couldn’t get the big hit,” Black said. “We had some opportunities but couldn’t drive in the big run. We stressed Worley a couple of times but we couldn’t break through.”

San Diego scored in the first on Everth Cabrera’s leadoff double, a sacrifice and Smith’s sacrifice fly.

Pittsburgh responded with two in the bottom half. Harrison led off with a triple and scored on Polanco’s single. Polanco later scored on Russell Martin’s sacrifice fly.

The win moved the Pirates (62-53) a season-high nine games over .500, despite the recent absence of team leaders Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: Right-hander Andrew Cashner (shoulder) was set to make his first rehab start Friday for Single-A Lake Elsinore. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list June 23 with right shoulder soreness.

Pirates: McCutchen (rib) continues to add to his mobility and resistance exercises, according to manager Clint Hurdle, and is progressing in a “positive fashion.”… Right-hander Gerrit Cole (lat) is slated to make a third rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Indianapolis. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list July 9. … Walker (back) missed his third straight game. Hurdle said the second baseman “felt better” after taking batting practice.

ON DECK

Padres: Left-hander Eric Stults (4-13, 4.94 ERA) starts the middle game of the series. Stults has struggled on the road in 2014 with a 0-9 record and 5.78 ERA in 12 starts. He is 4-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 10 home outings.

Pirates: Left-hander Francisco Liriano (3-7, 3.91 ERA) will face San Diego for the fourth time in his career. Liriano is 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in four starts since he was removed from the 15-day disabled list on July 13.

HOMECOMING WEEKEND

Two Padres will have relatives in the stands during their series at PNC Park. Right-hander Jesse Hahn and Gyorko both have local ties to the Pittsburgh area.

Hahn has family from Beaver County, about 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Hahn will not pitch in the series after he started Tuesday’s loss at Minnesota and San Diego had an off day Thursday.

Gyorko attended West Virginia University, and the campus is 75 miles due south of Pittsburgh in Gyorko’s hometown of Morgantown, W. Va.

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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