Skip to main content

Reds waste another solid start for Leake

By WTOP Staff

JOHN PERROTTO
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Leake’s scoreless outing was enough to get a win last time out. This time, he left with a no-decision.

Leake pitched seven innings of six-hit ball, but the Cincinnati Reds were shut down by Edinson Volquez in a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

“I thought I pitched pretty well but (Volquez) was great,” Leake said. “It’s hard to win a game 1-0 and that’s the position he put us in.”

Leake threw 82 pitches while lowering his ERA to 3.38. He pitched 6 2-3 innings in a 1-0 victory over Atlanta last Saturday in his previous start.

The Pirates jumped on Jonathan Broxton (4-2) right after Leake left the game. Josh Harrison hit an RBI triple and scored on Jose Tabata’s tiebreaking single.

Harrison had three hits while also making a number of sparkling defensive plays. Tabata, starting in right field for the injured Travis Snider, finished with two hits in the Pirates’ sixth win in eight games.

“He’s unbelievable,” Volquez said of Harrison, who began the season as the last man on the Pirates’ bench but is now their leadoff hitter. “He can do everything. For me, he’s the MVP with the way he’s been playing. He’s an exciting player.”

Volquez was working on a no-hitter before Devin Mesoraco’s leadoff single in the seventh. He was charged with one run and three hits in 7 2-3 innings against one of his former teams, running his unbeaten streak to seven starts.

Cincinnati put two runners on in the eighth, chasing Volquez from the game. Mesoraco then put the Reds in front with an RBI single against Tony Watson (10-1), but Brandon Phillips was thrown out at home to end the inning.

Mesoraco had two of the Reds’ four hits.

Pinch-hitter Andrew Lambo, recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis before the game, sparked Pittsburgh’s eighth-inning rally with a one-out single off first baseman Todd Frazier’s glove. Then Harrison and Tabata followed with their big hits.

“It was really one pitch that hurt me,” Broxton said. “Harrison hit one off the right-field wall but the other two hits were ground balls.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: 1B Joey Votto experienced pain in the area of his troublesome left knee on Wednesday when he attempted to field ground balls for the first time since going on the disabled list July 6 with a distal quadriceps strain, manager Bryan Price said Friday. Votto won’t be ready to play when he is eligible to come off the disabled list on Thursday, and the rest of the season is in doubt.

Pirates: 1B Pedro Alvarez (sprained left foot) sat out for a second game and Snider (left hamstring discomfort) was not in the lineup after leaving Wednesday’s win over St. Louis. Both are day to day.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon (13-8, 3.26 ERA) will start Saturday in his first outing since breaking a five-game losing streak Sunday by beating Atlanta. Simon is 1-4 with a 4.74 ERA in eight starts in the second half after going 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 18 starts in the first half and being selected to his first All-Star game.

Pirates: RHP Vance Worley (5-4, 3.14 ERA) will try to bounce back after losing his last three starts and compiling a 6.11 ERA in that span.

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