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Ludwick ends slump in Reds’ 7-3 loss to Rockies

By WTOP Staff

PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

DENVER (AP) — Ryan Ludwick couldn’t have picked a better time to be visiting Coors Field.

Hitless in his last 13 at-bats, the Cincinnati Reds outfielder broke out in a big way during a 7-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night. He had an RBI double in the second inning, a solo homer in the sixth and then, for good measure, a single in the ninth.

His swing is back on track — at one of his favorite parks, too, where he’s hitting .398 for his career.

Not that he felt his swing was really all that off.

“I think 0 for 13 is a little deceiving,” Ludwick explained. “I’ve had some good at-bats. I just haven’t gotten hits. It’s been a weird year and this is the first ball I’ve hit all year that I’ve gotten into it.”

He certainly did, lacing a homer off Jorge De La Rosa (12-8) that landed near the top of the stands in left.

“Today, I just happened to think along with him,” Ludwick said. “Lucky guess.”

For one night, though, Charlie Culberson looked a little bit like the shortstop he’s trying to replace in Colorado. He had the power of Troy Tulowitzki and the nifty moves, too — jumping out of the way of a shattered bat fragment to cleanly field a grounder.

“Not Tulowitzki,” cautioned Culberson, “but if they put (me) in the lineup, I’ll be ready to play.”

Culberson hit his first homer in more than a month — a three-run shot in the fifth — and De La Rosa pitched seven effective innings.

With Tulowitzki set for season-ending hip surgery Friday, Culberson and Josh Rutledge figure to receive plenty of playing time at shortstop. Culberson definitely made the most of his opportunity Thursday.

“Tulo is our guy,” Culberson said. “And shortstop is a big spot to fill. … I feel like both us can go out there and fill in.”

De La Rosa allowed three runs and five hits as he improved to 8-2 at Coors Field this season.

Not bad considering he tweaked his Achilles running to first in the second inning. But he came back out to pitch and didn’t miss a beat.

“It was bothering me a little bit,” De La Rosa said. “But I was able to keep pitching in pain. We’ll take care of that before my next start.”

Reds All-Star Alfredo Simon (12-8) is winless in six starts since the break. The converted reliever allowed seven runs — five earned — and a season-high 10 hits in five innings.

“He made some mistakes and they hit it hard,” Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. “It’s just a matter of executing better pitches and having a better mix of pitches.”

Culberson broke the game open by lacing a 95 mph fastball from Simon into the left-field bleachers. It was his first homer since June 29.

FATIGUED SIMON?

Price doesn’t necessarily think Simon’s second-half slump is due to exhaustion.

“He still has the stuff to be successful. Unfortunately, he’s not having any success,” Price said. “He’s going to continue to get the ball. The only way to learn how to pitch a season as a starter is to pitch a season as a starter.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey is headed to the disabled list with a strained elbow. Price said he will announce a starter to take Bailey’s spot in the rotation Friday. There’s no timetable for Bailey’s return.

Rockies: OF Michael Cuddyer (broken left shoulder) could be back in the lineup Saturday. The reigning NL batting champ has been on the DL since early June.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Johnny Cueto (14-6, 2.05 ERA) can take over the NL lead in wins by beating the Rockies on Friday. Cueto is 6-0 in seven starts since losing at San Diego on July 2.

Rockies: LHP Franklin Morales (5-6, 4.97) will make his first career start against the Reds. He’s faced them five times as a reliever, going 2-0 with two saves.

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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