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Pirates get 16 hits in 10-3 romp over Padres

By WTOP Staff

JAY PARIS
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — At the end of the longest nine-inning game in San Diego Padres history, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle summed it up best Monday night.

“It’s time to go home,” he said.

Jordy Mercer homered and matched a career high with four of Pittsburgh’s 16 hits in a 10-3 romp over the Padres.

Neil Walker added three hits and three RBIs, and Josh Harrison also had three hits to help Pittsburgh win for the ninth time in 13 games.

The Pirates are enjoying their West Coast swing so far. After taking three of four at Dodger Stadium, they headed south and won again in a game that took 4 hours, 4 minutes.

“It was a long one, that’s for sure,” Mercer said. “But it is always good when you score a lot of runs.”

Charlie Morton (2-7) tied a career best with nine strikeouts in five innings. He allowed two runs and three hits in winning for the first time in five road starts this year.

Three relievers finished the five-hitter after Morton’s curveball baffled the Padres.

“He was still dealing with baserunners,” Hurdle said. “But he was able to compete and get outs when he needed to. He gave us five solid innings.”

Mercer scored four times from the No. 8 spot in the batting order and went 4 for 5 to raise his average 20 points to .219. He entered with one home run and seven RBIs in 146 at-bats.

“The people believe in me here,” Mercer said. “Having that support, having that confidence every time, it’s nice.”

Hurdle talked about how dangerous this Pirates lineup can be.

Mercer agreed.

“I think when we all get hot there’s no telling what we can do,” Mercer said. “The sky’s the limit for us because we can hit the ball out of the ballpark, we can run, we can do all sorts of stuff. It’s just a matter of us all clicking together.”

Tim Stauffer (2-2) lasted only 2 2-3 innings, his second consecutive disappointing start since being inserted into the rotation because of elbow injuries to Andrew Cashner and Robbie Erlin.

“The first two innings were pretty good, then he seemed to lose the feeling for his pitches,” San Diego manager Bud Black said.

The Padres threw 249 pitches, the most ever by their staff in a nine-inning game.

“It was just unfortunate it unraveled the way it did,” Stauffer said.

The Pirates broke open the game with three runs each in the seventh and eighth. The big blow was Walker’s two-run double in the seventh, propelling Pittsburgh to its sixth win in the last nine road games.

Four times in the previous six innings the Pirates loaded the bases but scored only one run. They stranded a season-high 16 runners.

The teams combined for 12 walks and six hit batters.

Through the first four innings, Morton didn’t allow a run or hit — although the Padres reached on an error, two walks and two hit batters.

But in the fifth, Everth Cabrera’s double drove in Alexi Amarista after he opened the inning with a single. Seth Smith drove in Cabrera with a single, trimming the Pirates’ lead to 3-2, but pinch-hitter Tommy Medica struck out with the bases loaded.

Pittsburgh had extended its advantage to 3-0 on Mercer’s RBI single in the fourth. Starling Marte scored after he was hit by a pitch from reliever Alex Torres.

Mercer snapped a scoreless tie with a home run to start the third inning, a 414-foot shot into the second deck beyond the left-field fence. Ike Davis’ sacrifice fly scored Harrison for a 2-0 lead.

NOTES: Cashner threw a four-inning simulated game and didn’t report any discomfort. Cashner, on the DL since mid-May with a sore right elbow, could start this weekend. “That was a good step forward,” Black said. Cashner said he’s adjusted the grip on his slider to take pressure off his elbow. … Erlin hasn’t been cleared to resume throwing. He’s on the DL with a sore left elbow. … Pirates RHP Stolmy Pimentel (right shoulder inflammation) made a rehab start at Class-A Bradenton, throwing two scoreless innings. … Harrison has batted leadoff 15 straight times, the longest stretch by a Pirates player this season. … RHP Gerrit Cole (5-3, 3.80 ERA) faces Padres RHP Jesse Hahn on Tuesday. It will be Hahn’s major league debut after appearing in 10 games with Double-A San Antonio, where he was 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA.

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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