Skip to main content

Brewers drop 9th straight, lose 3-2 to Cardinals

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Logan Schafer thought his high, hard liner to deep center would land safely for a hit.

Peter Bourjos had other plans.

St. Louis’ fleet-footed outfielder tracked down Schafer’s drive near the wall in the eighth with the potential tying run at second, and six Cardinals relievers combined for six innings of one-run ball in a 3-2 win Thursday night to hand the Milwaukee Brewers their ninth straight loss.

The eighth inning exemplified the recent difficult stretch for the Brewers.

“We were in it the whole time,” Schafer said. “Again, we’re just waiting for that big hit.”

It better come soon.

The Cardinals moved a season-high 14 games above .500 and extended their lead to four games in the NL Central over the Brewers.

St. Louis used the bullpen early after Michael Wacha was limited to three innings in his first start off the disabled list. Marco Gonzales (2-2) went 2 1-3 innings for the win.

The Brewers stranded potential tying runs in scoring position from the sixth through the ninth.

“The bullpen came in there and shut the door for those last six innings,” Wacha said. “That was fun to watch.”

St. Louis never trailed after Yadier Molina’s two-run single in the first off Wily Peralta (15-10).

Still, the Brewers had numerous chances to snap out of their funk.

Seth Maness got the Cardinals out of the sixth by inducing Schafer to fly out in foul territory with a runner on third. Carlos Martinez got third-place hitter Jonathan Lucroy to pop out to end the seventh with another runner on third.

In the eighth, the Brewers put runners on first and second with nobody out against Pat Neshek. The side-arming right-hander bounced back by getting Martin Maldonado to pop up a bunt before Schafer’s fly was corralled by Bourjos for the second out.

Jean Segura sent a flare to left fielder Matt Holliday, ending the threat.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke at least liked the fight he saw in his club.

“We hit a lot of balls hard. Either they made a really good play on it or we hit it right at ’em,” Roenicke said.

GLOVE WORK

Jon Jay made two nice catches in right field for the Cardinals to save a couple of hits. Bourjos topped him with his play in the eighth.

Bourjos said he had a good jump, and he didn’t think the ball was going to go out for a homer, so it was a matter of getting to the wall in time.

“That’s probably the biggest (catch) because of the situation in the year and situation in the game,” he said.

FINISHING IT OFF

The Cardinals used six relievers in all, with closer Trevor Rosenthal issuing two walks to put runners on first and second with two outs in the ninth. Rosenthal got pinch-hitter Jason Rogers to fly out to the edge of the warning track in right for his 42nd save.

“We had guys picking each other up all night,” manager Mike Matheny said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: Wacha threw 50 pitches and struck out three. He allowed three hits, including Lucroy’s RBI single in the first. The right-hander had been on the disabled list since June 18 with a right shoulder injury.

Brewers: Carlos Gomez pinch ran but remained out of the starting lineup with a left wrist injury. Roenicke said his leadoff hitter was feeling good, and the team doctor would re-evaluate Gomez in the hope that he might be able to return soon. Gomez has been sidelined since Monday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: John Lackey (2-1) gets the start Friday, when he hopes for a repeat performance of his first start with the Cardinals after being traded from Boston. He gave up two runs in seven innings in a 3-2 victory.

Brewers: Mike Fiers (4-2) is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals, both coming in 2012.

BABY BRAUN

Ryan Braun missed a second straight game following the birth of his daughter Wednesday night. The right fielder appears likely to return Friday.

“I’d like (him) and Gomey in the lineup,” Roenicke said. “But you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. This is obviously the most important thing in his life.”

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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