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Reynolds helps Brewers beat Marlins 9-5

By WTOP Staff

STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer

MIAMI (AP) — With the retractable roof open and the Milwaukee Brewers in town, pitcher-friendly Marlins Park became a launching pad.

Mark Reynolds hit a pair of two-run homers and the Brewers won a record-setting slugfest at spacious ballpark, beating Miami 9-5 Friday.

Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Jones hit two solo homers apiece for Miami, and Khris Davis homered for Milwaukee. The teams combined for seven home runs, the most since their park opened in 2012.

“I think having the roof open helps,” Reynolds said.

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke wasn’t so sure.

“It’s hard to say,” he said. “My gosh, there were some long home runs by both sides. Those balls were crushed. There were a lot of fireworks going on.”

Milwaukee didn’t need slugger Ryan Braun, who sat out after a flare-up of the oblique strain that sent him to the disabled list earlier this season. The Brewers hope he can rejoin the lineup by Sunday.

Reynolds homered in the fourth and again in the fifth, increasing his season total to 11. It was his 20th career multihomer game.

Miami lost despite hitting a season-high four home runs. Stanton’s two tape-measure homers increased his season total to 14, most in the NL, and his 47 RBIs lead the majors. It was his 12th career multihomer game, tying Hanley Ramirez’s franchise record.

Even so, Miami fell to 5-17 against the Brewers since the start of 2011.

The ball was flying from the first inning. Davis’ homer carried more than 430 feet into the beer garden, Stanton’s homers traveled just as far, and Jones reached the upper deck.

It has been nearly three years since three players hit two homers in a major-league game.

Marco Estrada (4-2) didn’t pitch from the stretch until there were two out in the seventh, because all four of Miami’s baserunners to that point hit home runs.

“Real weird game,” Roenicke said.

Roenicke made three pitching changes without a glitch. On Thursday at Atlanta, he summoned a reliever when no one was warming up.

Estrada gave up five runs and departed after 6 2-3 innings. He has an ERA of 3.98 despite allowing 16 homers, the most in the majors.

“I obviously didn’t do the greatest job, but I kept the team in there,” he said. “I know I have given up a lot of home runs, and today was no different. If I keep them to one-run homers, good things will happen. All I can say is we won.”

Along with all of the offense, there were some long outs as well. Two balls hit by Carlos Gomez would likely have been homers in Milwaukee.

Gomez had three doubles and a single for the Brewers, who totaled eight extra-base hits. The NL Central leaders hit for the cycle in the fifth off Tom Koehler when Jean Segura singled, Scooter Gennett tripled, Gomez doubled and Reynolds homered.

“They seemed to hit every mistake that was made pretty hard,” said Koehler (4-4). “That’s why they’re in first place.”

Koehler went five innings and gave up seven runs, including both homers by Reynolds. Koehler came into the game with an ERA of 0.64 at home, best in the majors.

“He made a lot of mistakes over the middle of the plate,” manager Mike Redmond said. “That’s a very aggressive team, and obviously you saw the power that they have. And when you make mistakes against good teams, they make you pay.”

Miami fell to 19-7 at Marlins Park, still the best home record in baseball.

Notes: RHP Jimmy Nelson will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start Sunday for the Brewers in place of RHP Yovani Gallardo, who was scratched after he threw a bullpen session before the game and said his sprained left ankle was still sore. Gallardo is not expected to go on the disabled list. … Milwaukee RHP Wily Peralta (4-3, 2.18) is scheduled to start Saturday against Miami RHP Jacob Turner (0-2, 6.59).

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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