Skip to main content

Kemp back in lineup as Dodgers lose to Reds

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers had a new left fielder in the lineup Wednesday night — Matt Kemp. The frustrated veteran wasn’t in the starting lineup the previous five games, but got a chance to get back in there because of Carl Crawford’s sprained left ankle.

Kemp, who hadn’t started a game in left field since his rookie year, was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts on the eighth anniversary of his major league debut. The two-time Gold Glove winner didn’t get a chance to make a putout during the Dodgers’ 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, but he did chase down a pair of doubles by Todd Frazier — one of which sailed over his head — and had a great look at Brandon Phillips’ two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw.

Perhaps the most frustrated hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup was Andre Ethier, who was 0 for 3 against Reds starter Homer Bailey, and is hitless in 21 career at-bats against him with seven strikeouts.

“He was just moving the ball so well,” Ethier said. “He’s one of those guys who can be wildly effective at times, and other times he can spot up a pitch and throw something in there at 93-94 — then reach back for 96-97 — and it’s moving all over the place. He can throw his other pitches for strikes, too, so it’s a tough combination. In the past, I’ve seen a lot of cutters from him, and tonight I didn’t see one. It was all two-seam fastballs and one breaking ball.”

Kershaw (3-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings and struck out nine. The left-hander, who led the majors in ERA in each of the previous three seasons, has a 3.57 mark through his first six starts this year. He missed all of April because of a strained muscle in his back, after beating Arizona March 22 during the Dodgers’ season-opening two-game trip to Australia.

Cincinnati opened the scoring in the first with Phillips’ fourth homer after Frazier’s first double. It certainly got Kershaw’s attention, because he retired 14 of his next 16 batters.

Only one of the last 34 home runs the two-time Cy Young Award winner has given up has been with more than one man on base.

“Regardless of who was pitching, it feels good just to come through for the team and do something positive to get us going in the right direction,” Phillips said. “We haven’t been really scoring that many runs and haven’t been getting many clutch hits. Kershaw’s one of the best pitchers in the game, but tonight we just hit some mistakes.”

Phillips, a four-time Gold Glove second baseman, robbed Ethier of an RBI single in the first when he made a diving stop of his grounder in the hole and threw him out after a leadoff double by Dee Gordon. Bailey escaped the inning unscathed by striking out Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez.

“I feel like defense wins championships and offense sells tickets,” Phillips said. “That defensive play I made really saved the game. I’m surprised I got to that ball. I didn’t really see it come off the bat really good.”

The Dodgers didn’t get another hit until Justin Turner’s leadoff double in the fifth. He advanced on Drew Butera’s grounder to first base and scored when Bailey tried to pitch Kershaw down and in and the ball got through Devin Mesoraco for a passed ball. The run was earned because Kershaw and Gordon followed with singles.

Frazier doubled again leading off the sixth and scored on a wild pitch to give Cincinnati a 3-1 lead.

Bailey (5-3) allowed two runs and five hits while striking out six.

Puig, who has reached base safely in 29 straight games, led off the Dodgers’ sixth with an opposite-field homer to right-center that narrowed the gap to 3-2. But former Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton retired Puig and Ramirez on flyballs for the last two outs in the eighth after replacing Manny Parra with a runner at second, and Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save.

Puig’s numbers through his first 152 major league games are comparable to what Mike Trout did through his first 152 with the Angels. Trout batted .308 with 30 homers, 90 RBIs and 138 strikeouts. Puig is batting .327 with 30 homers, 81 RBIs and 138 strikeouts.

NOTE: Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully was back in the Dodgers’ TV booth after missing two games because of a chest cold. … It was Kemp’s eighth career start in LF and first since June 21, 2006. Crawford went on the disabled list Wednesday, a day after he hurt himself chasing a double into the left field corner by Chris Heisey. … Canadian-born OF Jamie Romak, promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque because of Crawford’s injury, pinch-hit for Kershaw in the seventh and grounded out to second on the first pitch he saw in the major leagues.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote