Skip to main content

Fiers and Brewers dominate Blue Jays in 6-1 win

By WTOP Staff

RICH ROVITO
Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — An ugly road trip for the Toronto Blue Jays has the team longing for a return to Canada.

The Blue Jays lost for the sixth time in seven games on the trip, falling to the Brewers 6 to 1 as Milwaukee pitchers retired 24 consecutive Toronto hitters to close out the game.

“We just want to go home,” shortstop Jose Reyes said. “It seems like we play better baseball at home. You come out with the kind of lineup we have and score only one run.”

In his third start since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Aug. 9, Milwaukee starter Mike Fiers (3-1) held the Blue Jays to two hits and a lone run and retired the final 18 batters he faced in a 106-pitch outing.

“At the same time, you have to give some credit to the pitcher from the other side,” Reyes said. “He did an unbelievable job.”

The Brewers, who won their fifth consecutive game, jumped on Toronto starter J.A. Happ (8-8) immediately, belting three doubles to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

The Blue Jays got on the board in the second on Munenori Kawasaki’s RBI ground out.

The Brewers added two doubles in the third to extend their lead to 4-1. Milwaukee hitters connected for another pair of doubles in the fifth and added two more runs, staking Fiers to a five-run lead.

Happ lasted just 3 1-3 innings, giving up six hits and four runs. It marked his shortest start since going just 2 1-3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on May 10.

“I got us in a hole early,” Happ said. “It’s tough against anybody, let alone a first-place team. Everybody’s got to do their part and I came up short tonight.”

Toronto manager John Gibbons said his team needs to regroup as it heads into the final stretch.

“We’re in a little bit of a rut,” he said.

The Blue Jays squandered early chances against Fiers and fell behind as Happ struggled.

“We couldn’t do anything with Fiers,” Gibbons said. “But you still have to come back when you’re down early. We really haven’t been able to put together anything offensively in awhile.”

DOUBLE TROUBLE:

The Brewers set a season high with seven doubles. The team single-game record is nine, accomplished four times. Lucroy’s two doubles brought his season total to 42.

“I got a couple mistakes up in the zone and I was able to take advantage,” Lucroy said.

No primary catcher has ever led his league in doubles for a season. Lucroy, who played first base in Tuesday’s game, has 35 doubles as a catcher, six as a first baseman and one as a designated hitter.

“Luc always has good at-bats,” Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said.

The major league record for doubles by a catcher in a season is 45 by the Rangers’ Ivan Rodriguez in 1996.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: RHP Jim Henderson, on the disabled list since May, had right shoulder surgery on Tuesday, ending his season. .RHP Matt Garza, on the 15-day DL with an oblique strain, could return to the rotation in early September, and RHP Kyle Lohse, who is nursing a sore ankle, won’t pitch during the five-game home stand, manager Ron Roenicke said.

Blue Jays: Edwin Encarnacion, who was activated on Friday after missing more than a month with a quad injury, started at first base. He started the previous three games at DH, not an option in the National League ballpark. “We need him,” manager John Gibbons said.

ON DECK

Brewers: Rookie Jimmy Nelson (2-3. 3.86 ERA) has five consecutive quality starts and has been counted on heavily with injuries to Garza and

Lohse. The Brewers are 4-3 in Nelson’s seven starts.

Blue Jays: R.A. Dickey (9-12. 3.95) will pitch the finale in the two-game series. Dickey’s nine losses on the road are tied for the most in the majors.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote