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Brewers knock off Cardinals 3-2 in 12 innings

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carlos Gomez noticed the high leg kick. No matter that it was strong-armed Yadier Molina behind the plate, the Milwaukee speedster took off. Twice.

Gomez walked against left-hander Kevin Siegrist with one out, stole second and third and then scored the go-ahead run on a bloop hit by rookie Hector Gomez in the 12th inning as the Brewers ended the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals’ three-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.

“Nobody runs on any catcher. You’re always timing the pitcher,” Gomez said. “Everybody knows I’m running. They gave me the opportunity, he picked the leg up, I’m going.”

Brandon Kintzler (3-3) got the last out in the 11th and Francisco Rodriguez closed for his 42nd save in 47 chances. The third-place Brewers have won five of six and are four games back of St. Louis, which has a 2 1/2-game lead on Pittsburgh with 11 to go.

“You know something? We deserved a bloop,” Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. “We did. I mean, they get bloops to hurt us all the time.”

The Brewers are 1 1/2 games behind the Pirates for the second NL wild card.

Hector Gomez got his first career RBI on a ball that dropped just out of the reach of first baseman Matt Adams in shallow right field. Hector Gomez also scored tying run as a pinch runner in the ninth.

“It feels good,” Gomez said through a translator. “As soon as I saw the ball had a chance, I said, ‘Oh, boy, we have a chance.'”

Gerardo Parra homered and rookie Matt Clark’s sacrifice fly tied it against Trevor Rosenthal in the ninth. The Cardinals were blanked on four hits over the last 11 innings after jumping on Wily Peralta for two quick runs in the first.

Lance Lynn worked seven strong innings for St. Louis before Rosenthal was saddled with his sixth blown save in 50 chances.

“Not bad. One pitch, a solo homer,” Lynn said. “But as long as it’s a solo it usually doesn’t hurt you.”

Siegrist (1-4) was the Cardinals’ sixth pitcher and has a 6.30 ERA after giving up a run on one hit in the 12th. The lefty was nearly untouchable as a rookie for the National League champions last year, posting a 0.45 ERA.

Manager Mike Matheny said a lack of offense was “part of the story.”

“I’d say we gave some free bases, too,” Matheny added. “That’s the rest of the story.”

The Cardinals opened the first with three straight singles and Adams walked on a full count for an RBI, the last two pitches high and well out of the strike zone. A second run scored on a double-play ball by Jhonny Peralta, 2 for 15 with the bases loaded.

“You never want a bases-loaded double play,” Matheny said. “A pitcher like him having the season he’s having, he’s not going to give up too much.”

Peralta also went seven innings and gave up just two hits in the last six, finishing the year 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA against St. Louis.

The Brewers dropped three of four at home to St. Louis last week and are 7-10 overall against the Cardinals.

“We’re playing like it’s the playoffs right now and I think that’s what we need,” Carlos Gomez said. “Nobody told us it was going to be easy. We have to fight for it.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha is scheduled to throw in the bullpen Wednesday. He missed his last turn due to ineffectiveness coming off the disabled list from a shoulder injury.

BIG CROWD

Paid attendance of 44,529 was the 47th sellout with five home games to go. Although there were hundreds of empty seats, the Cardinals have capitalized on the Ballpark Village development.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Mike Fiers (6-2, 1.84 ERA) makes his first start since hitting Giancarlo Stanton in the face with a pitch last week. Fiers is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA in five career games against St. Louis, two of them starts.

Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (18-9, 2.56) has won three straight starts, and he beat the Brewers with a complete game his last time out. Wainwright is 11-7 with a 2.43 ERA in his career against Milwaukee, and 2-1 with a 4.22 ERA in three starts this season.

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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