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Medica just misses cycle in Padres’ loss

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — For their 46 years, the San Diego Padres never have had a player hit for the cycle.

Tommy Medica came oh so close on an otherwise dismal night for the Padres.

Five days after being recalled from Triple-A El Paso, Medica homered, tripled and doubled in San Diego’s 12-6 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

He would have had the single, too, had his screaming line drive dropped by third baseman Martin Prado not been ruled an error.

“That would have been neat,” he said when told what he nearly accomplished.

Medica said it “definitely” could have been ruled a hit.

“Prado is great player,” he said. “I don’t know if they are thinking it might be routine for him.”

Medica had one last chance in the ninth, but he flied out to center.

Chase Anderson became the first Arizona pitcher to win his first three starts and he got plenty of help early with an eight-run first inning, a Diamondbacks’ franchise record.

Prado and Paul Goldschmidt both hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs for Arizona. Diamondbacks rookie Chris Owings had his first big-league four-hit game.

Goldschmidt’s homer traveled an estimated 470 feet, the farthest he can remember hitting one.

Arizona, taking two of three from the Padres, chased starter Tim Stauffer (2-1) after just one-third of an inning.

Anderson (3-0) got big support for the second straight outing. The Diamondbacks scored 18 runs for him in his previous start.

Medica tripled in the third, doubled in fifth and homered in the eighth — one night after getting three hits, including a two-run homer, in the Padres’ 4-3 win.

“Tommy is definitely running hot right now,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “And he’s hitting the ball hard. Those aren’t cheap ones.”

Anderson allowed four runs, just one earned, and eight hits in five innings to help Arizona win its second straight home series after losing its first seven.

Arizona sent five batters to the plate in the opening inning before the first out. A.J. Pollock and Gerardo Parra opened the game with singles, then Goldschmidt doubled home Pollock. Miguel Montero walked to load the bases and Prado singled in a run.

“Baseball at times is a very cruel game,” Black said. “Pollock’s was just a bounding groundball that was hit in the right spot. Parra, a bounding ball hit in the right spot and not hit hard. Goldschmidt just a blooper down the right field line. Not hit hard. You look up and it is guys on second and third and one run in and they haven’t hit the ball hard.”

Aaron Hill struck out — the only out for Stauffer who was making his second start after moving from the bullpen. Owings singled in a run, then Ender Inciarte singled in two more and it was 5-0 with two runners on base when Donn Roach replaced Stauffer. Pollock promptly doubled home both runners, then Arizona wrapped up the eight-run frame with Parra’s RBI double.

In the Arizona second, Montero singled, then Prado smashed a line drive two-run shot into the Diamondbacks’ bullpen down the left field line, his second home run in as many games, and it was 10-0.

Medica led off the fourth with a triple and scored on Jedd Gyorko’s groundout.

San Diego scored three unearned runs in the fifth. Everth Cabrera singled, then with the shift on for Seth Smith, Prado dropped a grounder to the right of second base, his second error of the game. Yonder Alonso singled in a run, then Medica’s two-run double cut it to 10-4.

Pollock opened the seventh with a double, then scored on Goldschmidt’s soaring home run to center off Troy Patton to make it 12-4.

The first-inning outburst was well off a franchise record for a San Diego opponent. The Padres gave up 11 runs in the first to St. Louis in 2005.

NOTES: Arizona manager Kirk Gibson turned 57 on Wednesday. …The Padres announced that RHP Ronald Herrera is the player to be named in the deal that sent Kyle Banks to Oakland. … The Diamondbacks called up Nick Evans from Triple-A Reno and optioned OF Alfredo Marte to Reno. Evans replaced Goldschmidt at first base in the eighth. … The Padres have Thursday off and open a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox on Friday … The Reds begin a 4-game series in Arizona on Thursday with Cincinnati sending LHP Tony Cingrani (2-4, 4.06 ERA) against Arizona RHP Josh Collmenter (3-2, 3.91).

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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