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Fiers fans 14 in Brewers 6-2 win over Cubs

By WTOP Staff

MATT CARLSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Mike Fiers has stepped back into the Milwaukee Brewers’ rotation in a big way — and when they needed a boost.

Fiers struck out a career-high 14 in six innings of three-hit ball, Khris Davis and Mark Reynolds homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-2 on Thursday.

Fiers (2-1) dominated and walked only one in his second start this season since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville to face the Dodgers last Saturday. In that one, he pitched eight strong innings and outdueled Zack Greinke for his first win this season.

“I was striking out a bunch of guys,” Fiers said. “I definitely knew it was getting up there.”

Scooter Gennett drove in two runs with a double, and Elian Herrera and Carlos Gomez each had RBIs for the Brewers.

Fiers made four relief appearances with the Brewers during two weeks in June. But with Matt Garza on the DL and Kyle Lohse nursing a tweaked ankle, Fiers’ splashy return as a starter is giving the Brewers a timely lift.

“Yeah I got sent to Triple-A, but it didn’t kill me confidence to send me down,” Fiers said. “I just had to wait for my opportunity and do it now.”

Manager Ron Roenicke thinks Fiers looks as sharp as he was in 2012, when the right-hander was 8-6 with a 2.85 ERA through August.

“It’s impressive,” Roenicke said. “He looks like the same guy — just confident, great fastball, able to throw the off-speed when he wants to, not walking people.”

Cubs starter Edwin Jackson (6-13) lasted 4 2-3 innings and allowed five runs before being lifted for Jacob Turner, who pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings in his Cubs debut. Jackson has lost six of his last seven decisions.

“I never felt like I got in a rhythm,” Jackson said. “I felt like I was here and there. I never found that happy medium, either I was too low or too high.”

REST UP

The Brewers broke through after scoring just five runs in the previous three games in the series — and six in their last four contests — despite resting Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez and Jean Segura.

Braun was held out the lineup with a sore right hand. Roenicke said Braun has been experiencing a flare-up of a nagging injury.

Roenicke said he noticed a difference in Braun’s swing on Wednesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Lohse (11-7) could miss his next start with a right ankle “tweak” he picked up in an at-bat in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the Cubs, but Roenicke won’t make a decision for a few days. The Brewers have an off-day next Tuesday, making the adjustment to their rotation possible. “I’d hate to put him back out there again if that thing is still going to bother him,” Roenicke said.

Cubs: OF Justin Ruggiano batted seventh and played right field. Ruggiano sat out Wednesday’s game after leaving Tuesday night because of a groin strain.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (2-3, 4.00) faces Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (12-8, 2.84) at Los Angeles on Friday.

Cubs: LHP Travis Wood (7-9, 4.86) starts against New York Mets RHP Zack Wheeler (7-8, 3.53). Wood hasn’t won since beating Philadelphia on June 15 and is on a four-game losing streak.

GETTING THE CALL

Cubs RHP Dan Straily will start Saturday against the Mets. Straily, acquired July 4 as part of the trade that sent Jeff Samardzija to the Oakland Athletics, is currently at Triple-A Iowa and will be used to help give Cubs starters an extra day of rest during a stretch of 20 games in 20 days.

HOMETOWN FAVORITES

The Cubs play on Chicago’s North Side, but are backing the South Side Jackie Robinson West team that began play in the Little League World Series on Thursday. Cubs player were given T-shirts that read “CUBS (heart symbol) JRW” on the front and “ONE CITY” on the back to recognize Jackie Robinson West, which is comprised of all African-American players and the first team from its league to make an appearance in the event in 31 years.

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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