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Arenado homers, but Rockies fall to Reds 3-2

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado and a patchwork Colorado Rockies pitching staff weren’t enough against the winningest pitcher in the major leagues.

Arenado hit a solo home run in the second inning and nearly had another in the eighth, but that was nearly all the offense the Rockies could muster against Cincinnati right-hander Johnny Cueto.

Cueto pitched eight stellar innings to become baseball’s first 15-game winner, and Kris Negron had a career-high four hits, including a tiebreaking single in the ninth, as the Reds beat Colorado 3-2 on Friday night.

Cueto (15-6) allowed two runs and six hits to help the Reds snap a three-game skid. He is 7-0 since a loss at San Diego on July 2.

“His cutter is just filthy,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.

Arenado hit one of Cueto’s cutters into the left-field seats to give Colorado a 1-0 lead, but Cueto was stingy after that hit. He breezed into the sixth inning before working his way out of a jam after giving up a tying RBI double to Corey Dickerson.

With one out and the bases loaded, he struck out Charlie Culberson with a 95 mph fastball and then fanned DJ LeMahieu with the same pitch.

Arenado nearly got him again with a drive to the wall in the eighth and the game still tied. He had a good-natured exchange with Cueto as he trotted back to the dugout.

“He was saying, ‘You just missed that,'” Arenado said. “I was like, ‘Man, I thought I almost had you.'”

Negron lined a two-out single up the middle off Adam Ottavino (0-4) to bring in Ramon Santiago with the go-ahead run.

The late run spoiled an otherwise solid outing by the Colorado bullpen.

The Rockies turned reliever Matt Belisle into an emergency starter when Franklin Morales was a late scratch after his wife went into labor. Belisle and five relievers kept the game close until the ninth.

Belisle allowed one run and tossed a season-high 49 pitches in three innings. It was his first start since May 25, 2008, when he was with the Reds.

“I looked at it as a great opportunity to get out there and really just attack the zone and see if we could get a good tone set,” Belisle said. “Really, really disappointing not to get a win out of that, as a team, because I was really proud of the bullpen.”

Aroldis Chapman closed for his 26th save in 28 chances. Culberson drew a one-out walk, and pinch-hitter Mike McKenry sent a shot down the line that first baseman Brayan Pena snared as he toppled over. Pena then touched first base with his glove to double up Culberson.

Jay Bruce brought in a run with a groundout in the Reds’ third, and Santiago added an RBI single in the fourth.

MULTIPLES OF 10

Corey Dickerson and Justin Morneau both extended their hitting streaks to 10 games. For Dickerson, it’s a career-high hitting streak. Morneau’s longest streak this year is 13 games.

15 AND COUNTING

Belisle was the 15th pitcher to start a game for the Rockies this season, the most in the majors. It also ties the franchise record set in the team’s inaugural 1993 season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: INF Todd Frazier was out of the starting lineup with a balky back, which he hurt the night after hitting a ball off the end of his bat. “Pain shot up the right side of my back,” Frazier said. He said he thinks it is a muscle strain in his lower back. He is day to day.

Rockies: Weiss said it “sounds like things went well” with SS Troy Tulowitzki’s hip surgery on Friday in Vail, Colorado. OF Carlos Gonzalez will have surgery on his left knee on Monday. Both are out for the season.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Dylan Axelrod is expected to be brought up from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday to fill in for the injured Homer Bailey, who is headed to the DL with a strained right elbow. It will be Axelrod’s first major league start since last September.

Rockies: RHP Jordan Lyles (6-1, 3.70) will make his third start since returning from the DL. He missed two months with a broken left hand.

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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