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Alvarez makes successful return in Marlins’ win

By WTOP Staff

CHRISTOPHER STOCK
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Henderson Alvarez was a bit rusty. That didn’t last long.

Alvarez made a successful return to the mound after missing two starts and pitched seven innings for the Miami Marlins who beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Saturday.

“He did a great job today and he’s a unique player for sure,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “This guy competes and the beauty of Hendu is that, and I hope and think this is true, he’s realized how good he is this year. This guy has great stuff and you saw that tonight.”

Alvarez (9-5) allowed one run and five hits while striking out six after being reinstated from the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. He lowered his home ERA to a National League-best 1.46 among qualifiers.

“I’m just thankful that everything went well today and I was able to go out there and help my team,” Alvarez said. “We’re in the middle of the (playoff) hunt so this is an important stretch for us.”

Alvarez threw 58 of 89 pitches for strikes. Two offerings were his Eephus pitch — one registered 58 mph on the radar gun — before he was pulled after the seventh inning.

“Chuck (Hernandez) and I sat there and, believe me, we fought the urge to throw him back out there for the eighth, but decided that he did his job and knowing that was his first start back after being a little bit sore was the right thing to do,” Redmond said.

Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his 31st save in 34 opportunities.

The Diamondbacks made five errors, their most since recording six on July 3, 2010, against the Dodgers.

“Through all the mistakes we battled and we only gave up two runs, one unearned and one earned,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said.

Wade Miley (7-9) struck out nine in seven innings for Arizona. He allowed two runs — one earned — and four hits.

“It’s a little frustrating, but that’s baseball,” Miley said. “Alvarez threw a great game.”

The Marlins scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning on the Diamondbacks’ fifth error. Shortstop Cliff Pennington’s throw home on a grounder went wide of catcher Miguel Montero, allowing Marcell Ozuna to score from third base. Ozuna moved into scoring position after a dropped pick-off attempt by first baseman Mark Trumbo.

Trumbo’s sacrifice fly gave the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead in the first, but Alvarez was able to escape further damage after the first three batters singled. Ozuna, the center fielder, threw out Ender Inciarte at home to help.

Arizona racked up three errors in the second inning, but the Marlins were unable to take advantage of the miscues. It was the first time in nearly four years a team (Oakland on Aug. 24, 2010) committed three errors in an inning without allowing a run.

Jeff Baker hit an RBI triple in the fourth for the Marlins.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: SS Chris Owings (left shoulder strain) will begin a rehab assignment with the Arizona League (rookie) Diamondbacks on Sunday and the plan is for him to play for Triple-A Reno on Friday. …

CF A.J. Pollock (right hand surgery) will begin hitting on Monday.

ON DECK

Marlins RHP Tom Koehler (8-9, 3.86) takes the hill in Sunday’s series finale against Diamondbacks RHP Josh Collmenter (8-6, 4.09). Koehler has allowed eight runs in nine innings over two starts, both losses, against the Diamondbacks. Collmenter is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA over his last three starts.

ROTATION SHUFFLE

Redmond has decided to start RHP Jarred Cosart on Tuesday and RHP Nathan Eovaldi on Wednesday in a two-game set with the Texas Rangers. With two off days next week, the Marlins will not need a fifth starter until Aug. 24 and a decision has not been made whether LHP Brad Hand or RHP Brad Penny will assume that role.

STREAKS CONTINUE

Inciarte’s career-long 16-game hitting streak is the longest active streak in the National League. He is hitting .314 (22 for 70) during that stretch. … Trumbo also continued his streak of reaching base safely in 15 consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak of his career.

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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