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Ortiz’s 2 HRs, 6 RBIs power Red Sox over Astros

By WTOP Staff

KEN POWTAK
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — David Ortiz’s career with the Boston Red Sox has moved into elite territory.

Ortiz hit a pair of two-run homers, including his 400th shot in a Red Sox uniform, and drove in a career high-tying six runs to power Boston past the Houston Astros 10-7 on Saturday night.

Big Papi joined Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as the only players to hit 400 homers while playing with the Red Sox. Ortiz did it with his drive into the first row of the center-field seats in the third inning.

“It’s an honor to be mentioned with those legends that were with the Red Sox,” he said. “When you come to this organization to play, you’re not expecting to be mentioned with those guys.”

The left-handed slugger has joined a class that features two of the greatest players to wear a Boston uniform.

“He’s in rare company with those two other guys he’s linked to,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

After his 400th, Ortiz hooked his other homer around the Pesky Pole in right field in the fifth. He has 459 home runs in his career, which started with Minnesota.

He then lined a two-run double into the gap in front of the Green Monster in the eighth. He left to a standing ovation for a pinch-runner, tipping his helmet as the crowd gave him a curtain call.

“David Ortiz is a Hall of Famer. He’s about as good as it gets in this game,” Astros manager Bo Porter said.

Williams hit 521 homers, and Yaz had 452. Both spent their entire careers with the Red Sox.

Chris Carter hit a solo homer and added a sacrifice fly for the Astros, who lost for the fifth time in seven games. A day earlier, Houston earned the franchise’s first win in Fenway Park after going 0-8.

The Red Sox trailed 6-3 before scoring four in the sixth. Ortiz’s second homer off starter Brad Peacock sliced it to 6-5, and Daniel Nava’s sacrifice fly tied it. Jackie Bradley Jr. had a sacrifice fly off Josh Fields (2-6) to push Boston ahead.

Alex Wilson (1-0) earned the victory with 2 1-3 hitless innings. Koji Uehara gave up a solo homer to Jason Castro and worked the ninth in a non-save situation.

The Astros built a 5-1 lead against Rubby De La Rosa by scoring two in the first, one in the second and two in the third.

Leading 3-1, Gregorio Petit had a two-run double.

After Ortiz’s first homer cut Houston’s lead to 5-3, Carter homered over the Monster in the fourth.

“One of the best players in baseball,” Peacock said of Ortiz. “The first homer, it was a hanging changeup, bad 0-2 pitch, and he just did what he’s supposed to do with it.”

STEADY PAPI

Ortiz has 91 RBIs, giving him at least 90 for the 10th time in 12 seasons with the Red Sox. One other he finished with 89, and in 2012 he had 60 while played just a little over half of an injury-plagued season. It was his 45th career multihomer game and fourth this season.

FENWAY SUCCESS RUNS OUT

De La Rosa had allowed three or fewer runs in each of his Fenway starts this season — and one or none three times. He gave up six on nine hits in just four innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Porter said OF Alex Presley (strained right oblique) will be shut down for “seven to 10 days” after feeling discomfort during his minor league rehabilitation assignment at Tri-City of the New York-Penn League. Porter also said LHP Darin Downs, dealing with oblique soreness but still on the active roster, will “need a couple of more days.”

Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia was back in the lineup after leaving Friday’s game after fouling a ball off his right foot. OF-1B Allen Craig, on the DL with a sprained left foot, is expected to start a rehab assignment, beginning Monday with Triple-A Pawtucket. He did some running during batting practice with a member of the team’s medical staff watching. C David Ross (plantar fasciitis) is expected to be activated early next week.

UP NEXT

RHP Collin McHugh (5-9, 3.08 ERA) is scheduled for Houston on Sunday. RHP Joe Kelly (0-0, 2.08) is slated to make his Fenway debut with the Red Sox. He was acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis along with Craig for RHP John Lackey.

HONORED

The Red Sox had a moment to honor Maj. Gen. Harold “Harry” J. Greene, who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this month. He was born in Boston and was a big Red Sox rooter. His family wore Red Sox jerseys and stood on top of the dugout when his picture was shown on the center-field scoreboard after the fifth inning. They received a standing ovation. Greene, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer killed in combat since the Vietnam War, was buried with full honors Thursday at Arlington National Cemetery.

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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