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Reds beat sloppy Giants 8-3 for 4th straight win

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jay Bruce hadn’t driven in a run in more than a month. He finally got a notable RBI and kept Cincinnati’s winning streak going.

Bruce drove in a pair of runs and Devin Mesoraco hit a two-run homer Tuesday night, leading the Reds to a season-high fourth straight win, an 8-3 victory over the sloppy San Francisco Giants.

Mesoraco hit his ninth homer off Tim Lincecum (4-5), who has beaten the Reds during the playoffs but never during the regular season. Bruce, who spent time on the disabled list following surgery for torn knee cartilage, knocked in his first run since April 25.

The Reds’ biggest shortcoming has been their inability to drive in runners. With Bruce back, they’ve got a chance to fix the problem.

“It was nice seeing him do what he does,” manager Bryan Price said. “It was really good to see him get a couple of hits.”

Homer Bailey (6-3) went six innings in his first game against the Giants since his no-hitter against them last July 2 at Great American Ball Park. The right-hander gave up three runs and five hits, including Hunter Pence’s homer, double and single.

“We scored early,” Bailey said. “They hit some balls and got some men on base, but I was able to limit the damage and I found a groove.”

The Giants have the majors’ best record at 37-21, but were undone by a season-high four errors. Lincecum had a throwing error, and catcher Hector Sanchez threw two balls into center field on steal attempts.

Part of it was Billy Hamilton’s speed. The Reds leadoff hitter doubled and scored on Lincecum’s throwing error in the first inning. He also singled, stole a base and scored a run in the fifth. Lincecum acknowledged that he got a little flustered with him on base.

“It’s fun to be fast,” Hamilton said. “That’s what speed does.”

The Reds have dominated the Giants during the regular season in recent years, winning nine of 11 since 2012. San Francisco got the best of Cincinnati when it mattered most, taking three of five in the 2012 division series and going on to win the World Series.

Cincinnati won this one with a pair of big innings. The Reds scored four times in both the first and fifth innings, matching the most runs that the Giants have allowed in an inning this season.

When Bailey threw his second no-hitter against the Giants last July, the opposing pitcher was Lincecum, who threw his own no-hitter 11 days later at San Diego.

Lincecum had a rough time in the rematch, matching his career high by giving up eight runs in only 4 1-3 innings. Bruce doubled home a run in the first inning for his 500th career RBI, and Mesoraco homered for a 4-0 lead.

Brandon Phillips doubled home two more runs in the fifth, and Bruce had an RBI single as the Reds pulled ahead 8-3. Bruce missed two weeks following knee surgery and was only 4 for 30 in his previous eight games back.

Lincecum is 0-4 with a 9.79 ERA in six career starts against the Reds, the only NL team he hasn’t beaten during the regular season. He won Game 4 in Cincinnati during the 2012 division series.

It was the third time in his career that Lincecum gave up eight runs in a start. The previous time also was against Cincinnati last July 22.

NOTES: Ryan Vogelsong (3-2) starts the second game against LHP Tony Cingrani (2-5), who is 0-3 with a 5.29 ERA in three starts since returning from the disabled list. … The Giants have lost 11 of their last 12 regular-season games at Great American. … Pablo Sandoval went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly, ending his 12-game hitting streak. … Bruce is the fifth-youngest Reds player to have 500 RBIs, trailing Johnny Bench, Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson and Adam Dunn. … Joey Votto was cleared to hit and take infield practice with the team. If that goes well, he’ll start a minor league rehab assignment. Votto has been on the DL since May 21 with a strained muscle above his left knee.

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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