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Cardinals 1 for 9 with RISP, fall 4-3 to Pirates

By WTOP Staff

JOHN PERROTTO
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals’ clutch hitting has gone missing.

After batting .330 with runners in scoring position last year, they are hitting .229 in those situations 37 games into this season.

On Saturday night, they went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 baserunners in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cardinals fell to 3-5 on their nine-game road trip and lost for the 11th time in their last 14 games in Pittsburgh.

“We see some clutch hits at times, but on a consistent basis, we expect it,” manager Mike Matheny said. “Easy to talk about but tough to execute and pull off. But it’s avoiding us, for sure.”

The big hits avoided the Cardinals after the second inning when they scored all three runs on an RBI single by Mark Ellis, a double play ball and a wild pitch to go in front 3-0.

After the Pirates went ahead 4-3 with a four-run fourth inning against Lance Lynn (4-2) that was capped by run-scoring singles by Josh Harrison and Pedro Alvarez, the Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning against starting pitcher Edinson Volquez.

However, Jared Hughes (2-1) came in and got Matt Adams to hit an inning-ending groundout. Five Pirates pitches combined to shut out the Cardinals for 4 1-3 innings and Pittsburgh won its season-high fourth in a row.

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

“Of course, you’ll be upset when you’re not driving runners in when they’re in scoring position and we’ve had trouble with that all season,” Adams said. “But it’s still early. We have guys who can hit in the clutch.”

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.

“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. … Cardinals SS Jhonny Peralta extended his hitting streak to eight games with a fifth-inning single. . 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. … 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. … 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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