Skip to main content

Rockies blow lead in 9th, lose 6-3 to Phillies

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Colorado Rockies nearly overcame leaving all those runners on base only to stumble on defense.

Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-3 win over the Rockies on Wednesday night.

Chase Utley hit a tying, RBI single off Boone Logan before Howard drove one out to left-center for his fifth career walk-off homer.

Closer La Troy Hawkins (2-1) got the first out in the ninth before Tony Gwynn Jr. reached on second baseman D.J. LeMahieu’s throwing error. Ben Revere followed with a single to right. Jimmy Rollins then hit a foul pop that Troy Tulowitzki, a two-time Gold Glove winning shortstop, dropped for an error. But Hawkins retired Rollins on a liner to left. Logan entered and allowed Utley’s line-drive single to right that scored Gwynn.

Howard then connected on a 2-2 pitch for his ninth homer.

“We had opportunities, but we left a lot of runners on base,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “You have to hope it doesn’t backfire. You only get so many opportunities or it comes back to haunt you.”

Still, the Rockies were ahead and could’ve won the game if LeMahieu didn’t make a poor throw to first.

“We’re a very good defensive club,” Weiss said. “Tonight was uncharacteristic, but it happens.”

Jonathan Papelbon (1-1) tossed a perfect ninth for the win.

LeMahieu hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth and Justin Morneau also hit a solo homer for Colorado.

Phillies reliever Mike Adams pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh after Antonio Bastardo walked the first three hitters. Adams entered and retired pinch-hitter Carlos Gonzalez on a home-to-first double play bouncer to the mound. Adams then struck out pinch-hitter Tulowitzki to end the inning.

“That was tough to take,” Tulowitzki said. “

But LeMahieu connected off Jake Diekman in the eighth, lining one into the left-field seats. It was LeMahieu’s first homer this season in 160 at-bats and fifth in 853 career at-bats.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg successfully won a challenge in the fifth inning after second baseman Utley fielded Charlie Culberson’s grounder and ran to the bag ahead of Corey Dickerson. Second base umpire Jim Wolf ruled Dickerson safe, but the call was overturned after a video review.

Starters Roberto Hernandez and Jordan Lyles both were effective. Philadelphia’s Hernandez allowed two runs and six hits, pitching around five walks in 5 2-3 innings. Lyles gave up two runs and five hits in five innings.

Colorado took a 2-0 lead in the third. Morneau led off with a shot to right for his 10th homer. Dickerson walked and scored on Wilin Rosario’s double to left-center.

The Phillies answered in the bottom half. Utley hit his major league-leading 22nd double with two outs. Howard followed with an RBI single to cut it to 2-1.

Marlon Byrd lined an RBI single with two outs in the fifth to tie it at 2. Half of Byrd’s RBIs (15 of 30) have come with two outs this season.

“We’ve been lacking the big hit lately,” Tulowitzki said.

NOTES: Commissioner Bud Selig, in town to accept an award for his work on cancer education and research, spoke about a variety of topics before the game. Selig said he’s pleased with the search committee’s process for finding a new commissioner and there’s no timetable to pick his successor. Selig also said he’s happy with the replay system and he doesn’t envision the NL going to a designated hitter unless there’s a “catalytic” event. … Gonzalez wasn’t in the starting lineup because of a right calf contusion. He jogged slowly to first on his grounder to the mound. … The Rockies are off Thursday before opening a series at Cleveland on Friday.

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