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Frazier’s 3-run HR leads Reds over Cardinals 5-3

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals had plenty of chances to help Shelby Miller keep his streak intact. They came up empty and let one bad pitch end it.

Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer off Miller, who had won his last six decisions, and Devin Mesoraco added a solo shot as the Cincinnati Reds beat St. Louis 5-3 on Friday night and tightened the top of the NL Central.

The Reds moved within three games of the second-place Cardinals, who have won seven of their last nine games while staying right behind the division-leading Brewers.

Cincinnati is 3-4 against St. Louis this season and trying to end a longstanding trend this weekend. The Reds have lost nine of their last 10 series against the Cardinals.

Miller (6-3) lost his first two starts before winning six straight decisions, the best such streak of his career. He allowed five runs in five innings, including Frazier’s ninth homer in the third inning off a pitch that was near the belt — not where he intended it to go.

“It was supposed to be down and away,” Miller said. “It wasn’t down enough. It ran back over the plate.

“Wish I could take it back.”

Miller had trouble keeping his fastball down all night, which is a big problem at homer-friendly Great American Ball Park.

“My fastball for the majority of the game was up in the (strike) zone,” Miller said. “I got a lot of foul balls.

“This is not a good park to leave the ball up, obviously.”

Homer Bailey (4-3) escaped numerous threats during his six innings. Aroldis Chapman gave up a hit in the ninth while getting his fourth save in five chances, with his fastball topping out at 102 mph.

The Cardinals have had problems hitting with runners in scoring position all season. They wasted numerous chances again.

“We had them on the ropes a couple of times,” manager Mike Matheny said. “We were looking for that big hit.”

Bailey was coming off his worst start of the season. He lasted only 3 2-3 innings and gave up a season-high six runs during a 12-1 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday. The right-hander is only 6-10 career against St. Louis, by far his most losses against any team. He gave up eight hits and three runs, including Allen Craig’s two-run single in the fourth.

Jhonny Peralta drove in another by hitting into a fielder’s choice in the sixth. Bailey avoided further damage by picking Peralta off second base to end the inning with pinch-hitter Jon Jay batting.

“That one hurt,” Matheny said. “We bring in a pinch-hitter there trying to set something going. In Jhonny’s defense, he knew he was going to have to get a good jump. But that changes things dramatically.”

The Reds had right fielder Jay Bruce back in the starting lineup. He hadn’t played since surgery on May 5 to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. Cincinnati is still missing first baseman Joey Votto, on the disabled list with a strained muscle above his left knee.

Bruce doubled and scored on Brayan Pena’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning for a 4-2 lead. Bruce also struck out twice and grounded out with two runners aboard to end the seventh.

Pena played first base and made a saving defensive play to open the eighth. He dived to the line to get Matt Holliday’s leadoff grounder and, while still on his chest, flipped the ball to Jonathan Broxton covering the base to get the out.

Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton walked, reached on a fielder’s choice and stole a pair of bases without drawing a throw on either one, giving him 18 this season.

NOTES: A pair of lefties will start the second game of the series. Jaime Garcia is 9-2 career against the Reds, his most wins against any team. He’ll face Tony Cingrani (2-3). … The Cardinals sold the contract of OF Joey Butler to the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. The Cardinals had outright release waivers on Butler, who was at Triple-A Memphis. … The Reds revamped their bench for the series, calling up OF Donald Lutz from Triple-A Louisville and sending INF Neftali Soto back down. … RHP Mat Latos is expected to begin a rehab stint on Sunday with Louisville. He hasn’t pitched this season because of torn knee cartilage and a strained right forearm.

___

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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