Skip to main content

Pearce, Machado homer as Orioles beat Astros 4-3

By WTOP Staff

TODD KARPOVICH
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Even with first baseman Chris Davis apparently on his way back from the disabled list any day for the Baltimore Orioles, Steve Pearce, his replacement, has made his case to remain in the lineup.

Pearce and Manny Machado homered and the Orioles won a season-high fourth consecutive game, 4-3 over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

Baltimore (19-14) is five games over .500 for the first time this season. Meanwhile, the Astros have lost six of their past seven games.

Pearce, who re-signed with the Orioles just two days after being released April 27, hit his third homer in four games. He homered in consecutive games for the first time in his eight-year major league career and has three this season.

“I just want to keep doing what I’m doing,” said Pearce, who is batting .300 (10-for-30) with three homers, six RBI and five runs since replacing Davis over the past nine games. “I think they know what I can do. Hopefully, I can stay around for a little longer this time.”

Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen (4-2) had another effective outing, allowing two runs and five hits with four strikeouts and one walk and he tied a season-high by going seven innings.

Machado hit his first home run of the season since returning from offseason knee surgery on May 1. Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis went 3 for 4 with an RBI and extended his hitting streak to 16 games.

“Someone announced he had a 16-game hitting streak,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said about Markakis. “I didn’t know that. I bet he doesn’t know, either. He’s healthy. Strong. He worked real hard this offseason for the first time that he was able to in a long time.”

Chris Carter hit his fifth home run of the season for the Astros.

Houston right-hander Scott Feldman made his first start since going on the disabled list April 21 with right biceps tendinitis and was facing his former team. Feldman, who went 5-6 as a starter for the Orioles last season, allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts over six innings. He gave up a home run for the first time in five starts this season.

“I definitely felt like I could throw all my pitches,” Feldman said. “I was throwing more free and easy. It was a good feeling, in that regard. It would’ve been a nice one to win. They just got the best of us tonight.”

With the game tied at 2, the Orioles’ J.J. Hardy led off the seventh with a double to center. Astros righty Jerome Williams (1-2) got the next two batters to ground out before allowing an RBI single to Jonathan Schoop. Markakis followed with a double to center that made it 4-2.

“I thought I battled, getting those two ground balls, and then just left that cutter up over the middle,” Willams said. “You’ve just got to tip your hat to them and try to execute the pitch next time.”

Dexter Fowler led off the ninth with a double off Orioles closer Tommy Hunter. Marc Krauss walked before Hunter got Carter to hit into a double play, which scored a run. George Springer then struck out to end the game as Hunter picked up his 11th save.

Houston fell to 1-20 when scoring three or fewer runs.

The Astros opened a 1-0 lead in the second when Matt Dominguez led off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by L.J. Hoes, who was acquired from Baltimore last season. The Orioles, who were coming off a three-game sweep of Tampa Bay, answered in the bottom half of the inning when Pearce and Machado hit solo shots.

Carter snapped a 1-for-16 skid when he led off the seventh with a liner to left off Chen that cleared the fence by several rows. The Orioles, however, would rally for the victory in the bottom half of the inning.

“In the top of the inning, I allowed a tying home run so I was kind of upset about that,” Chen said. “But they had a timely offense and Nick and Schoop had big hits and we were able to get the go-ahead run and got the win. I was happy about that.”

NOTES: Davis (strained left oblique) will have a rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie on Saturday and then be re-evaluated Sunday when he is scheduled to come off the DL. … Outfield prospect Henry Urrutia, who was Baltimore’s Minor League Player of the Year last season, is scheduled to have sports hernia surgery on May 13 and will be out 6 to 8 weeks. … Orioles OF Francisco Peguero (right wrist sprain) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk on Friday. … Houston recalled RHP Paul Clemens from Triple-A Oklahoma City. …The Astros placed RHP Jose Cisnero on the 15-day DL with elbow discomfort, backdated to May 7, and optioned LHP Brett Oberholtzer to Oklahoma City.

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