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Maztek, Rockies beat D-Backs’ hard-luck Nuno 2-0

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — Rookie Tyler Matzek has been good lately. On Saturday night, he was at his best yet.

The 23-year-old left-hander gave up three hits in seven innings, Matt McBride and Charlie Blackmon homered and the Colorado Rockies handed Arizona’s Vidal Nuno another hard-luck loss with a 2-0 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

Maztek (4-9) struck out four and walked three. The win came on the heels of a strong seven innings in a 3-2 victory over San Francisco on Monday.

“He’s been close to dominant the last couple of times out,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “It’s good to see. It’s good to see a kid developing as we speak. He’s getting better and better. It’s real encouraging what we see from Tyler.”

The Rockies had lost four in a row since then.

Nuno (2-9) allowed a run on two hits, fanned seven and walked none. After McBride’s second-inning home run, Nuno retired the next 20 before leaving after eight innings, trailing 1-0.

“I don’t know what more he can do,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. “He gave up a home run and retired 20 in a row. He didn’t walk anybody. He struck out seven guys. It is a shame.”

Nuno is 0-4 in 10 starts since coming to Arizona in the trade that sent Brandon McCarthy to the New York Yankees. In seven of those starts, he’s allowed two or fewer runs.

“There’s no frustration,” he said. “You got to love this game and just go out there and try your best. “

Blackmon homered off reliever Matt Stites in the ninth.

LaTroy Hawkins walked a batter and gave up a single in the ninth before striking out Didi Gregorius for his 22nd save in 23 tries.

Matzek, making his 15th start since being called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs in early June, held an opponent scoreless for the second time. The three hits allowed matched the fewest of his young career.

He said he’s relying more on his slider, and he’s pitching better since as he edged his delivery point to the right of the pitcher’s rubber.

“I’m slowly moving over there,” he said. “And I feel like I’m getting some good angle and good swing and misses on fastballs inside.”

Matzek said Nuno’s performance kept him on his toes.

“When you know the other guy’s doing good you definitely stay more focused,” Matzek said. “You can’t get distracted. Seeing him doing what he’s doing out there definitely helps me to remind me this is what I need to do to get the win.”

Four relievers completed the shutout.

Arizona threatened against Colorado’s bullpen in the eighth, getting runners at first and second with one out.

But David Peralta struck out and Mark Trumbo bounced to third, where Nolan Arenado barehanded the ball and threw to first.

“The play was huge,” Weiss said. “I told him that was a money play right there, the game on the line.”

MEMORIES

The Diamondbacks wore throwback uniforms, wearing white with purple lettering. After the game, there was an alumni contest that included six members of Arizona’s 2001 World Series championship team. Fans got a bobblehead of Bob Brenly, manager of that team.

GREAT CATCH

Arizona shortstop Cliff Pennington made a lunging catch of Drew Stubbs’ pop-up in short left, tumbling over left fielder Nolan Reimold but holding on to the ball.

BLACKMON’S RBIs

With one on Friday night, Blackmon has 60 RBIs from the leadoff spot in the lineup, most in the majors. All of his 16 homers have come in the leadoff position.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: Reliever Christian Freidrich and C Jackson William were called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs this week when LHP Boone Logan (left elbow inflamation) and C Willin Rosario (left wrist inflammation) went on the 15-day DL.

Diamondbacks: RHP Daniel Hudson, recovering from two Tommy John surgery, pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout from Triple-A Reno on Friday night. He is expected to join the major league club for the first time in two years, probably on Monday when the rosters expand.

ON DECK

Rockies: In the series finale on Sunday, LHP Jose De La Rosa (13-9, 4.19 ERA) goes for his first win in the desert, where he is 0-6 with a 4.15 ERA in eight starts.

Diamondbacks: RH rookie Chase Anderson (7-6, 3.90) takes the mound for Arizona Sunday. He is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts against Colorado.

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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