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Cardinals beat Reds on bases-loaded HBP in 9th

By WTOP Staff

STEVE OVERBEY
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds bullpen continues to struggle. With and without closer Aroldis Chapman.

The Reds wasted a lead for the fourth game in a row in dropping a 5-4 decision at St. Louis on Tuesday.

Cincinnati built a 4-1 advantage behind a solid effort from starter Alfredo Simon. But relievers Jumbo Diaz and J.J Hoover were unable to hold onto the lead.

The Reds also led 4-2 before losing 6-5 in 10 innings in the series opener on Monday.

Manager Bryan Price is trying to mix and match with a taxed bullpen that is without Chapman, who missed his second consecutive game with a sore shoulder.

“No Chapman makes it harder to dice up those last few innings,” Price said. “We’re vulnerable.”

The Reds used seven relievers in losing a doubleheader at Colorado on Sunday. They blew a 7-3 lead in the opener and a 4-2 lead in the nightcap.

That heavy use, along with Chapman’s absence, has put Price in a quandary.

“It’s not like we have guys in the (farm) system that have lit up the opportunity radar,” he said.

The Reds lost in walk-off fashion for the third time in the last four games on Tuesday.

“We just have to keep looking ahead,” Price said.

Jon Jay was hit by a pitch from J.J. Hoover with the bases-loaded in the ninth inning, lifting the Cardinals to the win.

The walk-off win was the second in as many nights for the Cardinals, who won for the fifth time in six games and remain 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.

Jhonny Peralta’s RBI single in the tenth inning Monday provided St. Louis with a thrilling last at-bat triumph.

Matt Holliday drew a leadoff walk to start Tuesday’s winning rally. He advanced to third on Matt Adams’ single. After Peter Bourjos ran for Holliday, Peralta walked to load the bases. Hoover (1-10) then plunked Jay to force in Bourjos with the winning run.

“It’s not like you hope to get hit by a pitch every time,” Jay said. “But I’ll take it.”

St. Louis recorded its sixth walk-off win of the season. The Cardinals also posted back-to-back walk-off wins July 7-8 against Pittsburgh.

The Reds lost in walk-off fashion for the third time in the last four games. They are a season-high 10 games out of first place.

“(This) isn’t fun,” Cincinnati third baseman Todd Frazier said. “It’s crazy, I’ve never been around something like that. I never want to see it again.”

Jay scored the tying run in the eighth on pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso’s RBI double off reliever Jumbo Diaz.

“Call it whatever you want to call it, but we’re just playing better baseball right now,” Descalso said. “We’ve got down the last couple nights and we’ve come back. That’s always a good sign.”

Reliever Pat Neshek (6-0) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: INF Mark Ellis was put on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain. Ellis, who is hitting .192 with 12 RBI, last played on Tuesday. INF Greg Garcia was recalled from Triple-A Memphis in time for Tuesday’s contest. Garcia was hitting .273 with 40 RBI in 103 games for the Redbirds.

JAY KEEPS ROLLING

St. Louis OF Jon Jay extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the second, the first of two hits. He is 15 for 31 during the run and reached base four times Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Johnny Cueto (15-6, 2.06) will start the final game of the three-game set. Cueto is 7-0 with a 2.24 ERA over his last eight starts. His seven-game winning streak is a career high.

Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn (13-8, 2.91) will make his team-leading 26th start of the season. He is 5-1 lifetime against the Reds

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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