Skip to main content

Napoli homer lifts Red Sox to 5-4 win over Reds

By WTOP Staff

MARK SCHMETZER
Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — Mike Napoli had the perfect scenario. He didn’t waste it.

Napoli hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs to help the Boston Red Sox wrap up their first winning road trip of more than three games this season with a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

“It was nice to have a winning road trip,” the Boston first baseman said. “We’re playing better baseball. I thought there were a couple more games we could’ve had.”

Napoli took advantage of a 2-0 fastball from Reds starter Mike Leake in a ballpark known for yielding home runs.

“He got a fastball down and away, and he’s a pretty good opposite-field hitter,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “In this ballpark, that’s a decisive combination.”

Right-hander Anthony Ranaudo became the first Boston rookie to start his career 2-0 since Justin Masterson won his first three in 2008 and the Red Sox finished their eight-game trip with five wins.

Skip Schumaker and Cincinnati starting pitcher Mike Leake each hit their second home runs of the season, but the Reds still ended their seven-game home stand with a 3-4 record after opening by sweeping a two-game interleague series against in-state rival Cleveland.

“It is certainly frustrating,” Schumaker said. “Mike gives us a chance to win every time out. It would have been nice to give him a chance or take him off the hook.”

Burke Badenhop and Junichi Tazawa each pitched one perfect inning before Edward Mujica overcame back-to-back leadoff singles in the ninth for his third save.

Schumaker and Leake each hit solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth to give the Reds a 3-2 lead. The Red Sox immediately responded with two outs in the fifth on Yoenis Cespedes’ RBI single and Napoli’s 361-foot, opposite-field homer to right, his 15th homer of the season and second of the trip.

Ranaudo allowed eight hits and four runs with one walk and one strikeout in six innings.

Leake (9-11) lasted five innings, his shortest outing in 11 starts since going five innings on June 15 at Milwaukee. He allowed eight hits and five runs with one walk and three strikeouts.

Boston reached Leake for two runs with just one hit in the first. Leake’s wild pitch set up Daniel Nava’s RBI single, and Nava later scored on Napoli’s slow grounder to third baseman Todd Frazier, whose throw home was too late to get the runner.

FINALLY

Boston CF Jackie Bradley Jr. snapped a 0-for-35 slump with a second-inning single.

OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS

Boston is 24-23 in one-run games. The Red Sox were tied with Miami for the most one-run decisions in the majors going into Wednesday’s games. The Reds slipped to 17-28 after going 27-22 last season.

DANGEROUS BAT

Leake’s home run was the fourth of his career and raised his career hit total to 65, more than any major league pitcher since his debut in 2010.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Allen Webster makes his first career start against Houston on Thursday as Boston opens its second 11-game home stand of the season.

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon takes a 0.00 ERA in 3 2-3 innings over three games at Coors Field into his first career start on Thursday in Colorado, where the Reds open a seven-game road trip.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Cespedes left the game after six innings with a right hand contusion after Farrell said he got jammed in his last at bat.

Reds: RF Jay Bruce was scratched from the Reds’ original starting lineup due to illness. … RHP Logan Ondrusek and 2B Brandon Phillips are scheduled to begin rehabilitation assignments with Triple-A Louisville on Friday.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote