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Arenado homers to help Rockies sweep Padres, 6-0

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Franklin Morales and Jackson Williams worked together like old friends, but the new battery put a charge into the Colorado Rockies.

Morales pitched six solid innings for his first win in two months, Williams hit his first major league home run and the Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 6-0 on Sunday.

Nolan Arenado also went deep for the Rockies, who swept a three-game series for the first time since June 13-15 in San Francisco.

Colorado has won four straight, its longest streak since winning five in a row against Atlanta and the Giants in June. It was the Rockies’ first three-game sweep at home this season.

“This has been a great homestand for us,” Williams said. “Two shutouts and a big walk-off win last night.”

Morales (6-7) scattered four hits and walked two. He had been 0-3 with five no-decisions since beating San Diego on July 8.

The left-hander struck out four of his first seven batters and fanned six overall. It was the first time this season he started and didn’t allow a run, and it came with Williams catching him for the first time.

“My concentration was good and Williams called a good game,” Morales said. “We stayed on the same page the whole game and we mixed it up.”

San Diego right-hander Tyson Ross entered with 14 consecutive quality starts and came within one out of making it 15. But he allowed a two-out walk to Williams and a pinch-hit single to Matt McBride, ending his day. Alex Torres got the last out of the sixth to keep it a three-run game.

“Stats at the end of the day don’t matter to me,” Ross said. “It’s just all about doing my job on the days I get to go out there and pitch, and giving us a shot.”

Ross (13-13) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings. His one bad inning was the second, when Colorado got all the runs it needed.

Singles by Corey Dickerson and DJ LeMahieu put runners on first and second before Williams drove a 2-1 pitch into the left-center seats.

“It felt great. I didn’t even feel it come off the bat,” Williams said. “I knew I barreled it, so I knew it had a shot. After I saw it go over I started floating around the bases.”

He was more proud of catching a combined shutout with four different pitchers than going deep.

“If I had to give back my three-run homer for catching a shutout, I’d do it every day of the week,” Williams said. “I take more pride in what I do behind the plate than what I do at the plate.”

Arenado made it 5-0 with a two-run shot off reliever Robbie Erlin in the seventh. It was Arenado’s 17th of the season.

TOUGH POSITION

Rockies infielder Ben Paulsen got the start in right field for the second time on this homestand. He left in the bottom of the sixth after being hit by a pitch, but his departure had more to do with the game situation than an injury.

“I was fine,” he said. “I knew they were going to bring in (Drew) Stubbs anyway because of the score.”

Paulsen had only two balls hit his way in six innings — a flyout in the first and a single in the fifth — and he handled both chances cleanly.

“Benny, I was impressed with him the last time I put him out there. It was a tough day,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “I probably picked the toughest day of the year to throw him in right field. Like I tell the guys when I play them out of position: ‘If you mess up it’s my fault. You’ve got nothing to lose.'”

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Padres 2B Jedd Gyorko’s average is hovering near the Mendoza Line, but it might be much higher if he played at Coors Field half the season. Gyorko went 2 for 3 to climb to .201 for the season. In 16 career games in Denver he is hitting .333 with three home runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: LF Abraham Almonte was sore after falling Saturday and twisting his left ankle, but was possibly available to pinch hit. Almonte was shaken up when he slipped and fell hard as he charged Josh Rutledge’s sinking liner that dropped for a double in the third inning. Tended to by team trainers for several minutes, Almonte got to his feet and remained in the game until the sixth.

Rockies: C Wilin Rosario (left wrist inflammation) was activated from the 15-day disabled list but did not start. He had a pinch-hit double in the eighth and scored Colorado’s sixth run. Michael Cuddyer (left hamstring strain) is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list Monday.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (3-5) gets the ball in a matchup against Cy Young favorite Clayton Kershaw when San Diego opens a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw has a 1.70 ERA.

Rockies: RHP Jordan Lyles (6-2) hopes to duplicate his success against the Mets when Colorado opens a three-game series in New York. Lyles beat the Mets in his only start against them on Aug. 24, 2012, with Houston. Lyles had a double and an RBI in that game.

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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