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Rockies fall 4-2 to D-backs, may lose Gonzalez

By WTOP Staff

PAT GRAHAM
AP Sports Writer

DENVER (AP) — If this bad stretch wasn’t bad enough, the Colorado Rockies could be losing one of their top players.

Carlos Gonzalez was removed late in a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night after irritating his left index finger again.

The All-Star outfielder just might be headed for the disabled list to give a finger that’s nagged him most of the season a chance to heal. Because right now, he said, even gripping a bat is a difficult task. His average dipped to .255 after going 0-for-2.

“I really don’t know what to do at this point,” said Gonzalez, who left in the sixth inning. “It’s just really hard. It’s even harder for me to come out of the game over and over again.”

Rockies manager Walt Weiss feels the same way.

“We’re at a point where we’ve got to make a decision on this and see what’s best for him and what’s best for our club,” Weiss said.

The Rockies opened a 10-game homestand with their fifth straight loss. The best-hitting team in baseball just finished a dismal road swing in which it went 2-7 and averaged less than three runs a game.

Colorado struggled against rookie Chase Anderson (4-0), who mixed a fastball that barely crept into the 90s with a sharp curve and a changeup.

Anderson was hardly intimidated by hitter friendly Coors Field or the Rockies’ explosive offense. He didn’t overpower the Rockies so much as keep them guessing, throwing six effective innings in his longest outing since he was recalled from Reno on May 6. He becomes the fifth rookie since 1998 to win his opening four starts.

The right-handed Anderson allowed four hits and one run — a homer by D.J. LeMahieu — to help the Diamondbacks stop a three-game skid.

“I tried to stick with my game plan, pitch off that,” Anderson said. “If you try to pitch to the park, sometimes you’re not very successful.”

Jorge De La Rosa (6-4) settled down after a shaky start, giving up three runs in seven innings. The hard-throwing lefty didn’t have a strikeout for the first time this season, and his six-game winning streak came to an end.

He surrendered back-to-back solo homers to Nick Evans and Chris Owings in the fourth.

“I didn’t have my best stuff,” De La Rosa said. “I just kept trying to work my way through and go as far as I can. I think I did a good job.”

With the team scuffling, Weiss will shake up his rotation, sending Franklin Morales to the bullpen and bringing up prized prospect Eddie Butler from Double-A Tulsa for a start on Friday.

“I think it’d be a shot in the arm for us,” Weiss said. “He’s a talented kid. I’ve heard a lot about him and been anticipating his arrival at the big league.

“He’s a young kid with a big arm. There’s a lot of on-the-job training to be done, for anybody.”

The Diamondbacks finally gave their slugging first baseman Paul Goldschmidt a night off.

No matter, Evans was there to still provide some punch. The solo shot by Evans in the fourth was his first homer since Sept. 3, 2011, when he was with the New York Mets. He wasn’t sure if a moment like this would ever arrive again, especially after missing most of 2012 with a broken hand and not having a job last season until the Diamondbacks called a few days before the season — with only a spot open at Double-A Mobile.

The veteran still jumped at the chance.

“You start to question,” said Evans, who was recalled from Triple-A Reno last week. “It’s not easy to get here. … This is definitely satisfying.”

Evans was in the lineup only because manager Kirk Gibson decided this was a good opportunity to give Goldschmidt his first day off of the season after 59 straight games, one shy of the club record of 60 set by Travis Lee in 1998.

Maybe another break for Goldschmidt on Wednesday?

“Yeah, I wouldn’t count on that,” Evans said.

NOTES: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki hit his 15th homer of the season, a solo shot in the ninth. … The umpires overturned a call at the plate in the second that kept the game scoreless. Rockies C Wilin Rosario was originally ruled safe, but after a challenge the call was reversed when replays showed Arizona C Miguel Montero tagged Rosario on the back before he touched home.

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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