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Cardinals overcome 5-run deficit to beat Cubs 9-6

By WTOP Staff

WARREN MAYES
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Matt Holliday doesn’t get too technical about what he tries to do at the plate for the Cardinals.

Holliday hit his third home run in two games and broke an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single, rallying St. Louis past the Chicago Cubs 9-6 on Sunday.

“I just try to hit the ball to the middle of the field,” said Holliday, who has five homers against the Cubs this season and 20 in his career. “Trying to hit a single up the middle is a good approach.”

Holliday finished with three hits and four RBIs for the Cardinals, who moved into a tie with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central. The Brewers lost 15-5 in San Francisco.

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny was pleased with his team’s performance.

“I love it when guys do what they’ve always done and people seem to forget year after year,” Matheny said. “He’s an elite player. He continues to figure out ways to get it done no matter what. It was a big game and we needed it.”

St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong homered but left in the top of the eighth after falling backward when he tried to catch a popup in short right field. He appeared to hurt his head and shoulder, and was replaced by Pete Kozma.

Kozma, in his third stint with St. Louis this season, led off the bottom half with a double. It was his second hit in four at-bats this year.

After failing to get down two bunt attempts, Daniel Descalso got the third one down and beat Carlos Villanueva’s throw to first for a single. With the bases loaded and two outs, Holliday singled off Villanueva (5-7) to drive in two runs.

The ball appeared to hit Villanueva’s foot, but the reliever said it actually struck the rubber and caromed into short left field.

Jhonny Peralta’s third single scored the final run in a three-run eighth.

Pat Neshek (7-1) earned the win with one inning of work. Trevor Rosenthal got his 40th save in 45 chances with a scoreless ninth.

The Cardinals trailed 5-0 but rallied to tie it at 6 with two runs in the seventh. With two outs and two on, Peralta and Yadier Molina each hit a run-scoring single off Pedro Strop.

John Lackey pitched 6 1-3 innings in his sixth start for St. Louis since coming over from Boston on July 31. The right-hander allowed five runs, two earned, and nine hits.

“We’ve got a bunch of grinders,” Holliday said. “We haven’t had the best offensive season. Lackey gave us a chance. He shut them down after the second and gave us a chance to get a couple here and a couple there. Next thing you know you’re within a run and with a big hit, you have a chance to win the game.”

Lackey issued a leadoff walk in the second and made a throwing error that allowed a run to score. Chris Coghlan hit a two-run single and Luis Valbuena, who had three hits, added a two-run homer to make it 5-0.

“I definitely would have liked to not let that inning get as far out of hand as it did and try to cut it to maybe two or three runs,” Lackey said. “But I was able to make some adjustments after that and you’ve got to give the offense all the credit in the world today the way they came back, especially Matt, who’s swinging the bat so well. It just was a big comeback win for us.”

Holliday hit his 16th homer in the fourth, and St. Louis scored three in the fifth.

Wong hit a leadoff homer, and Matt Carpenter’s RBI double glanced off the glove of center fielder Arismendy Alcantara at the warning track. Holliday’s run-scoring double off the left-field fence chased starter Travis Wood.

Holliday is 13 for 37 (.351) against Wood with four home runs.

“They got a couple of pitches to hit out of the ballpark and they kept plugging away,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. “That’s what happens when you play against good clubs. That’s the beauty of the Central Division. I’ll still take my club against their club any day, and we’ll keep battling.”

Alcantara gave the Cubs a 6-4 edge with a solo homer off reliever Randy Choate.

Wong said he was fighting the sun trying to catch the popup and fell. He underwent concussion tests.

“I felt really dizzy,” Wong said. “I’m not in any pain and I don’t have any headaches.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo (tightness in lower back) was out of the lineup again. Rizzo, second in the NL with 30 homers, has not played since Tuesday in Cincinnati, where his back tightened up during a 50-minute rain delay. He is expected back Monday.

Cardinals: RHPs Michael Wacha (shoulder) and Jason Motte (shoulder) were scheduled to pitch Sunday night for Double-A Springfield. Both pitchers are on rehab assignments.

SLUMPING

St. Louis 1B Matt Adams did not start. He was 1 for 12 in three games against Chicago. Adams, who has only one homer since July 19, appeared in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter and struck out. His average dropped to .296.

UP NEXT

Cubs: Jacob Turner (4-8, 5.84 ERA) will make his second start at home Monday against Milwaukee. The St. Louis native is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three appearances with Chicago since he was acquired from Miami.

Cardinals: Lance Lynn (14-8, 2.79) starts at home Monday afternoon against Pittsburgh. Lynn’s start will be his team-leading 28th of the season and his fourth against the Pirates. With a victory, Lynn would join Detroit ace Max Scherzer as the only pitchers with 15 wins in each of the last three seasons.

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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