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Alvarez’s single lifts Pirates over Cardinals 4-3

By WTOP Staff

JOHN PERROTTO
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates used three right fielders, including two had never played the outfield in a major league game before, and five relief pitchers.

Somehow, all the maneuvering by manager Clint Hurdle paid off.

Pedro Alvarez singled in the go-ahead run and the Pirates won their season-high fourth straight game Saturday night, 4-3 over the St. Louis Cardinals.

“We drew a lot of stuff up in the dirt,” Hurdle said. “Everybody showed up, though, and did what they were supposed to do and it ended up being a really gritty win for us.”

The Pirates were short two outfielders as center fielder Andrew McCutchen missed a game for the first time this season because of soreness in his left foot and right fielder Travis Snider was serving the second game of a two-game suspension from for his part in an April 20 brawl with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Starling Marte, normally the left fielder who was starting in center in place of McCutchen, left the game for pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez in bottom of the fourth inning because of lower back stiffness. Josh Harrison, who started in right field, moved to left and Sanchez took over in right for his first outfield action of his seven-year career.

Hurdle then decided to move shortstop Jordy Mercer to right field in the eighth inning with the Pirates holding on to a 4-3 lead. Backup shortstop Clint Barmes replaced Mercer, who played in the outfield for the first time in his three-year career.

Neither Sanchez nor Mercer had a ball hit their way.

“We had talked about the possibility (on Friday), so Gaby was prepared,” Hurdle said. “Jordy’s athletic and he has a good arm. “I figured he could catch the ball and maybe throw someone out if he had to.”

Alvarez’s hit capped a four-run fourth inning against Lance Lynn (4-2) that helped the Pirates wipe out a 3-0 deficit.

Harrison and Ike Davis each had two hits for the Pirates, who have won 11 of their last 14 games against the Cardinals in Pittsburgh. Harrison also hit an RBI single in the fourth.

Jared Hughes (2-1) retired all four batters he faced in relief of starter Edinson Volquez, including getting Matt Adams to ground out with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning and preserve a one-run lead.

Mark Melancon earned his fourth save with a scoreless ninth, striking out Allen Craig with runners on first and second for the final out.

Hughes and Melancon combined with Justin Wilson, Bryan Morris and Tony Watson for 4 1-3 scoreless relief innings.

“It’s a tough spot with the bases loaded, but all I’m thinking is to keep the ball down and let my fielders make a play and that’s exactly what happened,” Hughes said.

Lynn allowed four runs in six innings and is winless in four starts since winning his first four starts of the season. He gave up nine hits and two walks while striking out five as the Cardinals dropped to 3-5 on their nine-game road trip.

Volquez and Jose Tabata hit consecutive run-scoring groundouts in the fourth inning before Harrison and Alvarez followed with RBI singles.

“What can I do? I gave up a bunch on infield singles,” Lynn said. “It’s not like I was giving up double-double-double-double. I was giving up infield singles — that’s just really bad luck, and I’ve had those games and I’ve had nights when I’ve given up double-double-double and given up three runs.

“As a pitcher you’d much rather give up double-double-double because singles (are upsetting).”

NOTES: St. Louis C Yadier Molina, who is 0 for 12 in his last four games, got a day off. … Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez will be activated from the disabled list and start Thursday at Milwaukee. He has been out with right knee inflammation since April 20. … Cardinals LHP Jaime Garcia will make his next rehab start Monday for Triple-A Memphis on Monday after it was originally announced he would pitch for Double-A Springfield on Sunday. Garcia has been on the DL all season while recovering from shoulder surgery. … The three-game series ends Sunday night with St. Louis RHP Shelby Miller (4-2, 3.20) facing RHP Charlie Morton (0-4, 3.45). It will mark the first time ESPN has televised a Sunday night game from Pittsburgh since 1996.

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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