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Laird delivers in 8th, Braves top Rockies 3-2

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — An unexpected string of four consecutive starts has helped Gerald Laird find his swing.

As a result, the veteran backup catcher is helping the Braves stretch their lead in the NL East.

Laird drove in two runs with two hits, including a tiebreaking single in the eighth, and Atlanta beat Colorado 3-2 on Friday night after the Rockies lost third baseman Nolan Arenado to a broken finger.

Arenado left the game in the second inning after fracturing his left middle finger on a head-first slide into second base. Rockies manager Walt Weiss said he didn’t know details of the injury, including if Arenado will need surgery.

Arenado appears bound for the disabled list.

“He’ll miss some time,” Weiss said. “It’s tough news for our club. He’s off to a great start and a hell of a player.”

Laird, 34, earned the four straight starts as Evan Gattis was held out with viral symptoms. Laird went 5 for 15 with three RBIs in the four games.

“He’s supposed to be a guy that’s going to fill in once a week, twice a week,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He’s played four days in a row and he’s come up big.”

Laird said the regular playing time has helped him feel more comfortable at the plate.

“I felt like the last week or so I’ve taken better swings,” he said. “Tonight I got some pitches up and was able to take advantage of it.”

Laird said he knows his role is to play behind Gattis but added “I’m ready to go every day, four , five, six, seven in a row, I’ll do it.”

Michael Cuddyer hit a home run for Colorado.

Braves third baseman Chris Johnson was pulled from the game by Gonzalez in the second. Johnson said he lost his temper in the tunnel after striking out. Johnson, who has a history of similar incidents, said he apologized to the team.

Ramiro Pena, who replaced Johnson, led off the eighth with a double to the center field wall off Adam Ottavino (0-1). After Andrelton Simmons and Dan Uggla struck out, Laird lined the single to left field and advanced to second when Corey Dickerson’s throw bounced past catcher Jordan Pacheco.

Ottavino said Laird hit a slider.

“I threw a hittable one and he hit it,” Ottavino said. “He did a good job. He committed to it and got the barrel on it.”

David Carpenter (4-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his 13th save.

Arenado led off the second with a double to left field. Left fielder Justin Upton’s throw was caught by Uggla, who flipped the ball to shortstop Simmons at second base. Simmons kept the glove down as Arenado slid past the bag.

Gonzalez asked for a review as replays indicated Simmons might have tagged Arenado’s foot off the bag. The play stood following the review of 3 minutes, 48 seconds.

Arenado grabbed his hand following the slide but remained in the game to score from third on Pacheco’s groundout. Charlie Culberson replaced Arenado at third base in the bottom of the inning.

The loss of Arenado for a significant period would be a blow to the Rockies. Arenado is hitting .305 with six homers and 28 RBIs. His 28-game hitting streak from April 9-May 8 is the longest in the National League this season.

Uggla walked and scored on Laird’s double in the second. The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the third. B.J. Upton scored from third base on Justin Upton’s groundout.

Cuddyer’s homer, his fourth, tied the game in the sixth.

Gavin Floyd allowed two runs on seven hits in 6 2-3 innings for Atlanta. Jordan Lyles gave up two runs on six hits and one walk in six innings for Colorado.

NOTES: Javy Lopez, a catcher for Atlanta from 1992-2003, Dave Pursley, a longtime trainer with Milwaukee and Atlanta from 1962-2001, and Rabbit Maranville, a shortstop with the Boston Braves for 15 seasons, were inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame. …. Weiss said OF Carlos Gonzalez (swollen left index finger), who didn’t start for the second straight day, was available. Gonzalez aggravated the inflammation in the finger on Wednesday night. … Braves LHP Mike Minor will face Rockies RHP Juan Nicasio on Saturday.

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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