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Heisey hits 2 HRs, leads Cueto, Reds over Pirates

By WTOP Staff

NATE BARNES
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds likely envisioned themselves in the thick of a pennant race as the calendar turned to September. Yet, they’re five games under .500 after injuries wreaked havoc on one of baseball’s more talented rosters.

Even Johnny Cueto, one of the game’s best pitchers, hasn’t been immune to the tough times endured by the Reds this season.

On Sunday, Cueto overcame an early jolt to earn his 16th win and Chris Heisey hit two home runs, including a tiebreaking shot in the ninth inning, as the Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.

Cueto (16-8) gave up a home run to Josh Harrison on his first pitch of the game. Jordy Mercer homered off Cueto in the second for a 2-0 lead.

“I was just ready to hit,” Harrison said. “He’s a strike-thrower. Sometimes when you face a guy you get familiar and you see some pitches out of his hand really well.”

Cueto wound up pitching eight innings and tied Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw for the major league lead in victories. Cueto worked around nine hits, striking out six and walking one.

“I feel happy because I have 16 wins,” Cueto said. “But at this point, with everything that happened to us, all I’ve got to do is just look ahead.”

Said manager Bryan Price: “He’s pitched in some tough luck this year.”

“He’s been outstanding and arguably the best in the National League for me, if not the best without question,” Price said.

Price credits his ace’s results with the mental strength Cueto has displayed during an arduous season.

“I’ve had guys that have lost the anticipation of being able to win,” Price said. “That can’t happen. It’s unacceptable and he’s never given in to that perception, that he doesn’t have a great chance to win every time he takes the mound even though we’ve had a challenging year.”

Heisey’s solo drive with one out in the ninth off Jared Hughes (6-5) helped the Reds avoid getting swept at PNC Park. Heisey began the day with just five homers in 229 at-bats this year.

“It’s been a challenging year for him,” Price said. “I don’t think he’s accomplished what he set out to do this year.”

Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 29th save.

Heisey tied the game at 2 in the fifth, connecting after Ryan Ludwick drew a leadoff walk from Francisco Liriano.

Heisey finished 2 for 4 and drove in all three of Cincinnati’s runs.

“It feels good to help the team get a W,” Heisey said. “We needed one today after losing the first ones. We couldn’t have done it without the way Johnny Cueto pitched today. He’s the definition of an ace in the big leagues.”

Liriano cruised through his first four innings, throwing an efficient 43 pitches before he ran into trouble in the fifth. Cincinnati’s first hit off Liriano didn’t come until Todd Frazier singled with two outs in the fourth.

Liriano threw a season-high 111 pitches over seven innings. He gave up two runs, five hits, three walks and struck out five.

“Everything was working down,” Liriano said. “I was using the inside half of the plate, down-and-in and everything was down. I just made a mistake.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: C Devin Mesoraco and OF Jay Bruce were out of the starting lineup. Bruce came in as a defensive replacement in the ninth.

Pirates: RHP Charlie Morton (hip) threw a bullpen session before the game. He made a rehab start Thursday for Double-A Altoona. … RHP Stolmy Pimentel (ankle) is nearing a return after throwing two innings for Altoona on Friday. … 1B-3B Pedro Alvarez (foot sprain) began hitting off a tee. … OF Travis Snider (hamstring) has not played since Wednesday and is still day-to-day.

UP NEXT

Reds: After an off-day, Cincinnati starts a three-game set at Baltimore on Tuesday night. RHP Mat Latos (5-3, 3.15 ERA) opens for the Reds against RHP Bud Norris (11-8, 4.00).

Pirates: Pittsburgh begins a 10-game road trip Monday with a three-game series in St. Louis. RHP Gerrit Cole (7-4, 3.65) opposes Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (14-8, 2.79) in a rematch of the matchup that the Pirates won 5-2 on Aug. 26.

SPEEDY

Reds OF Billy Hamilton stole his 54th base of the season in the seventh inning, tying the Reds rookie record for stolen bases in a season. Bob Bescher stole 54 in 1909.

BUSINESS OF BASEBALL

Prior to the game, the Reds traded reliever Jonathan Broxton to the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Price said Broxton’s presence will be greatly missed.

“He may be the best I’ve ever had in the bullpen as far as being professional and preparing the right way and showing everybody else how to get it done,” Price said.

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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