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Gallardo wins with arm, Brewers top Cruz, Orioles

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Yovani Gallardo sauntered through the clubhouse holding the barrel end of a bat, then headed down a hallway before his start against the Baltimore Orioles.

No game-ending hit needed Wednesday night. This time, he earned a victory on the mound.

The Milwaukee right-hander struggled through 6 2-3 innings, but got backed up by Ryan Braun’s early two-run double and Khris Davis’ three-run homer in the eighth to beat Baltimore 8-3.

On Tuesday night, Gallardo delivered a game-winning RBI double as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning. He went 1 for 2 on Wednesday, though the rest of the lineup took care of the offense.

“To add on late like that — huge,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “We keep waiting for one of those and we got it.”

Gallardo (3-3) overcame two solo shots by Nelson Cruz, who leads the majors with 19 home runs. He gave up three runs on four hits and five walks in 6 2-3 innings for his first victory since April 6, a span of nine starts.

Gallardo walked the bases loaded in the fourth with two outs, escaping by getting Jonathan Schoop to ground out. Gallardo said he was rushing through his delivery at times in the evening, and catcher Jonathan Lucroy went out several times to try to refocus his pitcher.

“Obviously three walks in a row is never good,” Gallardo said. “But I was able to make a pitch whenever I needed to get out of it.”

Gallardo left after Nick Markakis doubled with two outs in the seventh. Markakis scored on Manny Machado’s single off reliever Brandon Kintzler to get Baltimore within 4-3.

Adam Jones added another single, and lefty reliever Will Smith made a wild pickoff throw to put runners at second and third with Orioles slugger Chris Davis up. But Smith, the setup man with a potent slider, struck out Davis swinging. He sandwiched three more strikeouts around a hit in the eighth to cap his 1 1-3 scoreless innings.

The Brewers broke away in the eighth off relievers Brad Brach and Brian Matusz. Pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks singled to left past a drawn-in infield and Khris Davis’ high fly off Matusz then sailed around the left-field pole for the 8-3 lead.

“We let that eighth inning get away from us. I liked our chances there if we could have held it to one run,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Davis hit his ninth homer of the year, and third in three games. No, he wasn’t trying to outshine the Baltimore’s more notable power-hitting Davis.

“I know how to hit, that’s what I love to do the most,” said the Brewers’ Davis, who extended his hitting streak to seven. “As long as I keep loving it, the game’s going to love me back.”

Cruz has taken a liking himself to Miller Park after hitting three homers in two games. His second homer Wednesday went more than 400 feet to dead center, and Cruz pointed two fingers skyward after crossing the plate before bumping fists with a smiling Machado at the dugout steps.

“Nellie, he’s a perennial hitter,” Orioles starter Bud Norris said. “We’ve seen him for years in other leagues and everything else, but to have him over here in Baltimore’s been outstanding.”

The NL Central-leading Brewers took two of three in the teams’ first interleague meeting since 2008.

The Brewers had the early advantage against Norris (3-5), who allowed four runs, five hits and three walks in six innings. Braun hit a hard chopper down the first-base line for his two-out double with runners on second and third.

Braun and Carlos Gomez each had two hits and a stolen base for Milwaukee.

NOTES: Orioles LHP Johan Santana, signed as a minor league free agent during the offseason after missing all of the 2013 season following shoulder surgery, is likely to make one more outing in extended spring training, manager Buck Showalter said. The Orioles would then like the former Cy Young Award winner to make at least two minor league starts. … Baltimore sends Ubaldo Jimenez (2-6) to the mound Thursday in the opener of a four-game series in Houston. Milwaukee is off Thursday before returning Friday with Marco Estrada (4-2) against the Chicago Cubs.

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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