Skip to main content

Soler drives in two more runs as Cubs beat Brewers

By WTOP Staff

CHICAGO (AP) — The young-and-coming Chicago Cubs are having so much fun these days, they wish the season was just starting, not ending.

With five rookies in the lineup, the Cubs beat Milwaukee 6-2 on Wednesday night to complete their first three-game sweep of the Brewers since Aug. 23-25, 2004.

Rookie Jorge Soler had a two-run double to become the second player in Cubs history with as many as 10 RBIs in his first seven games, while Kyle Hendricks pitched into the sixth inning to earn his fifth straight victory.

“There’s a lot of energy,” Hendricks said of the clubhouse these days. “When I came up, there wasn’t a lack of energy, but it’s almost as if we’re expecting to win more, I guess. … We won in the minor leagues, so we’ve had that bred into us that we need to win and want to win.”

Hendricks (6-1) received the Rookie of the Month Award for August before the game, then he limited the Brewers to two runs in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander admittedly didn’t have his best stuff — he allowed nine hits — but he didn’t walk a batter and was able to get key outs.

The Cubs batted around in the third, when they scored four times to take a 6-1 lead. Soler began the onslaught with a two-run double, his ninth and 10 RBIs of the season. The 22-year-old Cuban joined Mandy Brooks, who had 12 RBIs in 1925, as the only Chicago players to accomplish that feat.

Welington Castillo followed with a run-scoring, ground-rule double, and one out later, rookie Logan Watkins hit an RBI single to cap the rally.

“(Soler) has got a gift. He has got a good eye,” manager Rick Renteria said. “If Kyle is my guy who’s got a slow heartbeat on the hill, then maybe he’s my guy who really slows it down in the box.”

Chicago never trailed after rookie Chris Valaika hit a two-run homer off ex-Cub Matt Garza to put it ahead 2-1 in the second. The blast to deep left field followed Watkins’ two-out single.

“It’s exciting to have all the young guys up here,” Valaika said. “Hopefully, we can keep this going right into next year.”

Milwaukee concluded a 1-8 road trip with its eighth straight loss to fall three games behind St. Louis in the NL Central race.

In his first start in 31 days, Garza (7-8) failed to get past the third inning. He had been on the disabled list because of a strained left oblique.

The right-hander allowed six runs on eight hits and one walk. He also was the victim of some shoddy defense and a few well-placed hits.

“We’re not playing well enough to do it on our side, and (the Cubs) they are,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. “They’re playing good baseball, and when you do, you get breaks.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: OF Carlos Gomez will not take part in physical activity until Sunday at the earliest. He sat out his third straight game because of a sprained left wrist and could be out of action until until mid-September. INF Mark Reynolds and Jason Rogers were available to play in the outfield if necessary.

Cubs: Results of X-rays and an MRI revealed SS Starlin Castro suffered a high ankle sprain on a slide into home during a 7-1 win against the Brewers on Tuesday night. General manager Jed Hoyer said Castro hoped to beat the 4-week prognosis to return but his season was likely over. … 1B Anthony Rizzo remains out indefinitely with a strained lower back. … 3b Mike Olt began a two-game rehab assignment with Class-A Kane County on Wednesday night. … OF Ryan Sweeney (strained left hamstring) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list, which effectively ended his season. The contract of OF Ryan Kalish was selected from the Triple-A club.

UP NEXT

The Brewers return home to meet St. Louis in a crucial four-game series. RHP Wily Peralta (15-9, 3.82) and Cardinals RHP Michael Wacha (5-5, 2.79) are the scheduled starters Thursday night. After an open date, the Cubs will send LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (4-2, 2.79) to the mound against Pittsburgh RHP Vance Worley (6-4, 3.01) in the first game of a three-game set on Friday afternoon.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The Cubs improved to 22-15 since July 18. At the start of the day, they owned the best record in the division and the seventh-best mark in the majors in that span.

BREWERS MOURN SEID

A moment of silence was observed before the game in honor of Brewers amateur scouting director Bruce Seid, 53, who passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday. He had been with the organization for 17 years.

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