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Ross’ streak ends as Rockies sweep Padres, 6-0

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Tyson Ross has made a habit of turning in quality starts in an otherwise disappointing season for the San Diego Padres.

He couldn’t keep his streak going against the Colorado Rockies.

Nolan Arenado homered, Franklin Morales pitched six solid innings for his first win in two months, and the Rockies beat San Diego 6-0 on Sunday.

Ross entered with 14 consecutive quality starts and came within one out of making it 15. But he allowed a two-out walk to Jackson 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 for his first career home run.

“I threw it right down the middle and he put a good swing on it,” Ross said. “It was a pitch to get back in the count. Fifty-fifty odds he hits it at somebody or mis-hits it. But he timed it up perfect.

“Big three-run homer for them to get the lead right away.”

Ross left after throwing 116 pitches.

“He hung in there, got us into the sixth,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “One big swing on a slider that was up, out over the plate and that put us behind the 8-ball. And offensively, we just haven’t been doing much to overcome that lately.”

San Diego has lost five straight and has scored three or fewer runs in 10 of its last 11 games.

“Our bats have sort of gone silent for the most part over the last week,” Black said. “We’ve got to turn that around. Same group that was scoring some runs after the break, we’re in a little bit of a downturn right now. We’ve got to get that headed in the right direction offensively with some of the guys who are here in September.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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