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Peacock can’t hold lead, Astros fall to Red Sox

By WTOP Staff

KEN POWTAK
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Houston starter Brad Peacock lasted long enough against Boston this time to blow a sizable lead.

Peacock gave up a pair of two-run homers to David Ortiz, including the slugger’s 400th in a Red Sox uniform, that powered Boston past the Astros 10-7 on Saturday night.

Peacock gave up six runs in 4 1-3 innings. On July 13 at Minute Maid Park, he retired just one batter before being pulled with the bases loaded and the score tied at 1 when Houston lost to Boston.

“Our offense did a great job for me tonight and I just couldn’t back them up,” he said. “I felt good tonight. I felt like the fastball was coming out good, just the offspeed stuff killed me. Made some bad two-strike pitches.”

Houston manager Bo Porter stuck with Peacock as long as he could, but knows the young right-hander needs to pitch further into games.

“We’re going to definitely need him to get deeper into the game and stop putting that kind of stress on the bullpen,” he said. “It’s something that needs to be rectified.”

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 shot into the first row of the center-field seats in the third inning.

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

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 collected the franchise’s first win in Fenway Park after going 0-8.

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

Ortiz added a two-run double in the eighth, matching his career high with six RBIs. He left to a standing ovation for a pinch runner, tipping his helmet as the crowd gave him a curtain call.

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

The Red Sox trailed 6-3 before scoring four in the sixth. Jackie Bradley Jr. had a sacrifice fly off Josh Fields (2-6) to push Boston ahead.

Alex Wilson (1-0) earned the win with 2 1-3 hitless innings.

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.

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

WELL EARNED DAY OFF

Astros 3B Matt Dominguez, who entered the day tied for the most games played in the majors, was rested Saturday. “We were going to go for (Cal) Ripken’s record, but figured we’d go ahead and cut it short right now. We’ll start another one tomorrow and probably catch him,” Porter said, joking before explaining he needed rest.

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 BP 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 non-waiver 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 a big Red Sox rooter. His family wore Red Sox jerseys and stood on top of their dugout when his picture was shown in 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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