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Votto’s homer gives Reds 4-3 win over Rockies

By WTOP Staff

GARY SCHATZ
Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — This was one big swing for Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds.

Votto hit a game-ending solo homer, and the Reds shut down Nolan Arenado in a 4-3 win over Colorado Rockies on Friday night.

Votto drove a 3-0 pitch from Boone Logan (1-1) over the wall in center for his fifth homer. Votto’s fourth career game-ending shot traveled an estimated 437 feet.

“The older you get and the longer you play, the more I become one with the team,” he said. “All you care about is winning.”

Votto had been struggling coming into the game, and the Reds were coming off consecutive 4-3 losses in Boston. The Red Sox won in 12 innings on Tuesday, and then scored two in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s victory.

“At the end of the year, you’ll look up and I’ll be about the same,” Votto said. “The frustrating part is my struggles have coincided with a number of close losses.”

Reds manager Bryan Price switched Votto from second in the batting order to fourth to try to give him more chances to hit with runners in scoring position. That didn’t work out but Votto was came up at the right time for the Reds.

“It is really fun to watch guys have moments like that,” Price said. “It was a big win for all of us. In a tie game, he has the green light.”

Arenado went 0 for 3, snapping his hitting streak at a club-record 28 games, the longest in the majors this season. But he also walked and scored on Justin Morneau’s tying double in the ninth, handing Jonathan Broxton (1-0) his first blown save in six opportunities.

Johnny Cueto had another strong outing for Cincinnati, striking out eight in eight innings of two-run ball. The right-hander allowed five hits and walked one.

“We knew it was going to be tough to score runs on Cueto,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s been locked in. We knew we had to scratch and claw. We battled every at-bat and made him earn every out.”

Cueto has pitched eight or more innings in five consecutive starts. He has gone at least seven in each of his eight starts this season.

“I continue to move the ball in and out, like Bryan Price wants me to do,” Cueto said. “I am thankful that I feel well and able to do my job. They have a good team. They made me work.”

Colorado’s Jhoulys Chacin, making his second start of the season after missing the first month with a right shoulder strain, allowed two runs and four hits in six innings.

Skip Schumaker hit Chacin’s second pitch of the game up the left-center gap for a double. He moved to third on Brayan Pena’s groundout to first and scored on Brandon Phillips’ sacrifice fly.

Todd Frazier drove Chacin’s first pitch of the second inning 485 feet to a party area above the center-field batter’s eye. Frazier’s sixth homer of the season was the sixth-longest in the 12-year history of Great American Ball Park.

Troy Tulowitzki led off Colorado’s fourth with his 10th homer, a 404-foot shot on Cueto’s first pitch that bounced off the roof over the Reds’ bullpen bench in left-center field.

The Rockies tied it in the fifth. DJ LeMahieu led off with a single, moved to second on Chacin’s groundout and scored on Charlie Blackmon’s single up the middle.

Pinch-hitter Billy Hamilton greeted Logan with an opposite-field double down the right-field line in the eighth inning. Schumaker sacrificed Hamilton to third base, setting up Pena’s sacrifice fly.

NOTES: Frazier extended his hitting streak to nine games, matching his career high. … Weiss was pleasantly surprised that Morneau missed just one game with neck stiffness. Morneau, who has a history of neck problems, was scratched from Thursday’s game at Texas, but started Friday at Cincinnati. “I didn’t think it would be too long, but I thought it would be a couple of days,” Weiss said. … The Reds will most likely activate LHP Aroldis Chapman from the disabled list on Saturday, manager Bryan Price said. The team wanted to give the closer an extra day after he pitched on consecutive days for the first time on Tuesday and Wednesday to wrap up his rehab assignment. Chapman was struck in the left eye and nose by a line drive during a spring training game on March 19.

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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