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Braves drop 3rd straight to Red Sox

By WTOP Staff

BOSTON (AP) — A change of ballparks and Gavin Floyd’s previous success against Boston still couldn’t halt the Atlanta Braves’ losing streak against the Red Sox.

John Lackey pitched neatly into the seventh inning and the Red Sox beat the Braves for the third straight day, posting a 4-0 win on Wednesday night.

After the Braves dropped a pair at Turner Field, the teams moved to Fenway Park, where Atlanta lost in the opener of a two-game set.

Floyd (0-2) gave up two runs — one earned — in five innings and took his first career loss against the Red Sox after seven wins. He dropped to 3-1 in four starts at Fenway.

“He grinded out some innings, a 100-plus pitches in five innings,” Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He battled, really battled to keep us in that position. We got nine hits, left all kinds of people on base. We just couldn’t get that next one.”

Making just his fifth start of the season after 2013 was cut short because of elbow reconstructive surgery, Floyd was satisfied with how he felt but bothered by his team’s result.

“It seemed like today a couple of things didn’t go our way. You just try to keep zeros up and try to keep the team as close as you could,” he said. “I want to win. When I’m pitching, I want our team to win. Obviously, I feel fine. I feel good.”

A bright spot for the Braves was second baseman Tommy La Stella, who had two singles in his major league debut. He was promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier in the day.

“Relief. It was nice to get that first (hit) out of the way in the first couple of at-bats,” he said.

It was Boston’s third straight victory after its longest losing streak in 20 years.

The Red Sox honored Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and members of their 2004 World Series championship team before the game, then put on another winning performance at Fenway.

Jackie Bradley Jr., A.J. Pierzynski and Jonny Gomes each had had two hits and an RBI as the Red Sox extended their mastery over the Braves. Boston is 18-6 since 2005 against Atlanta.

Lackey (6-3) combined with three relievers for Boston’s first shutout of the season. He gave up eight hits, struck out nine and walked none in 6 1-3 innings.

Boston’s winning string has come after a 10-game skid.

Lackey allowed more than one baserunner in just two innings. He has permitted two earned runs or less in eight of his 12 starts.

Boston went ahead 1-0 in the second inning when Gomes led off with a single and kept going to second on a throwing error by shortstop Ramiro Pena. Gomes took third on a wild pitch before Grady Sizemore walked, and scored when Daniel Nava grounded into a double play.

The Red Sox added a run in the third on a double by Xander Bogaerts, one of his three hits, and singles by David Ortiz and Pierzynski.

Boston made it 3-0 in the sixth against reliever Alex Wood when Gomes walked, took second on a single by Sizemore and scored on a double by Bradley. In Tuesday night’s 6-3 win, Bradley hit a two-run single in a four-run seventh when Boston took the lead.

The Red Sox reached Wood for another run in the seventh on an RBI single by Gomes after singles by Dustin Pedroia and Pierzynski.

In each of his first six innings, Lackey had at least one strikeout and didn’t allow a runner past second base. He retired the first hitter in the seventh, then allowed singles to La Stella and Pena that put runners at first and third.

Lackey left after throwing 105 pitches. Chris Capuano retired Jason Heyward on a groundout to second as the runners advanced to second and third. Heyward’s bat broke and Capuano fell on his back as he just avoided being hit by a broke piece.

Capuano walked B.J. Upton, loading the bases, before getting Freddie Freeman to end the threat with a grounder.

Junichi Tazawa and Craig Breslow completed the victory with one scoreless inning each.

NOTES: More than 30 members of the 2004 Red Sox attended the pregame ceremony. … Atlanta C Evan Gattis returned to the starting lineup after missing Tuesday night’s loss when he strained his right wrist during batting practice. … Braves SS Andrelton Simmons missed the game after leaving Tuesday night’s loss with an inflamed right ankle. … Boston’s Jake Peavy (1-2) pitches the finale of the two-game series against Mike Minor (2-3) on Thursday night.

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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