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Simon struggles again, Reds lose to Marlins 4-3

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Alfredo Simon hasn’t won since his first All-Star selection. The rest of the Cincinnati Reds aren’t doing all that much better.

Brad Penny rejoined the Marlins for the first time in 10 years and pitched five solid innings to get a notable win Saturday night, 4-3 over Simon and the slumping Reds.

Cincinnati is 8-14 since the All-Star break, leaving the Reds stranded in fourth place in the NL Central. Simon went into the break with a 12-3 mark, but is 0-4 with a no-decision since then. Four times, he’s gone five innings or less.

On Saturday, he allowed two runs and matched his season high with five walks in five innings.

“He got to two strikes on a handful of guys, but he would leave the ball up,” manager Bryan Price said. “He’s not executing like he was. His arm is behind him and he’s getting balls up.”

The offense wasn’t much help again.

Penny (1-0) was called up before the game to make his first appearance in the majors since 2012. The 36-year-old helped the Marlins win the World Series in 2003 and played one more season in Miami before moving on.

Penny gave up Jay Bruce’s solo homer and an unearned run in five innings, fanning three while throwing 95 pitches.

“We were surprised to hear that (Penny was starting) when we got in today,” Bruce said. “Other than minus 2 miles per hour, he was pretty much the same guy. He didn’t throw quite as hard, but he had the same style. You are who you are when it comes to that kind of stuff.”

Bryan Morris gave up two hits and a run in the eighth. Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his 29th save in 32 chances.

Chris Heisey singled to open the ninth but got caught off first base and was out in a rundown.

“A mistake,” Price said. “That’s all it was. Nobody feels worse than him.”

Christian Yelich had two hits, scored a run, and drove in two with a groundout and a sacrifice fly off reliever Sam LeCure (1-4). Giancarlo Stanton also had a sacrifice fly, and Donovan Solano doubled home the final run.

It was a big night for Penny and manager Mike Redmond, his former catcher with the Marlins. Penny went 48-42 with the Marlins from 2000-04. His last start for them was July 28, 2004.

Bruce’s homer in the first inning ended Miami’s streak of 11 straight games without allowing one, the second-longest in franchise history. The Marlins went 12 games without allowing one last season.

SO SLOOOOOOW

Simon got Garrett Jones to take a called third strike in the third inning on a pitch that fluttered in at 64 mph. In his next at-bat, Simon threw a 57 mph pitch followed by a 95 mph fastball. Jones drew a walk.

AND SOOOO FAST

Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth and sent oohs through the crowd with his fastball. Eighteen of his 23 pitches came in at triple digits, with three of them hitting 103 mph. He extended his major league record for a reliever to 48 consecutive appearances with a strikeout.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: Brayan Pena had a pinch-hit single that extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games. He left for a pinch-runner because his left hamstring has been tight. Price plans to have Pena catch Sunday. The Reds called up catcher Tucker Barnhart as a precaution.

UP NEXT

Marlins: Miami will try to sweep a three-game series in Cincinnati for the first time since Great American Ball Park opened in 2003. Left-hander Brad Hand (2-3) makes his first career start against the Reds. The Marlins then return home for eight games against St. Louis, Arizona and Texas.

Reds: Johnny Cueto tries to win his fourth straight start. The right-hander has given up only three runs in the last three games. He threw a complete game for a 9-2 win at Cleveland on Tuesday.

___

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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