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Hamilton’s hit helps Reds beat Brewers 6-5

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Forget about his prodigious speed — Billy Hamilton won a game with his bat Friday night.

No need to worry about running out a hit with the way Cincinnati’s leadoff man lined his single to right in the ninth off a fastball from stalwart reliever Francisco Rodriguez.

Hamilton’s hit allowed Zack Cozart to score from second, and Aroldis Chapman shut down the Milwaukee Brewers in the bottom of the ninth to give the Reds a 6-5 win.

“Somehow my hands were quicker than I thought they would (be) getting on top of the fastball and it was in,” Hamilton said. “It was just a big win for us.”

Made it easy to forget how the Reds blew a four-run lead in the seventh.

Hamilton added his 25th steal of the season in the ninth for good measure. He’s second in the National League in steals behind Dee Gordon of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He was left stranded at third, but his only hit of the night off Rodriguez (2-2) was much more important. The Reds feel like they are building momentum after taking two straight from Los Angeles.

“That was a big comeback win. It’s something that we really haven’t done much of this year,” said starter Homer Bailey, who gave up four runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. “So I think once you start picking up those kinds of wins, and coming back, it becomes contagious.”

Jonathan Broxton (2-0) tossed a scoreless eighth before Chapman struck out two in the ninth for his 11th save.

Hamilton’s hit spoiled a special night for Milwaukee, which unveiled its Wall of Honor before the game. Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and baseball Commissioner Bud Selig were among dignitaries at Miller Park.

The Brewers rallied with four runs in the seventh to tie it at 5 on Carlos Gomez’s RBI double.

But earlier mistakes ultimately caught up to Milwaukee, which tied a season-high with four errors.

Starter Matt Garza had two errors alone on errant throws. The second came after Garza fielded a bunt by Bailey before his hard throw sailed wide of first and into the stands.

The right-hander put his hands on his hips in frustration, but the trouble was just starting to brew.

“It hurt him today,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “Too bad because he had really good stuff today.”

Bailey later scored on Joey Votto’s single. Votto came around for a four-run lead after Jay Bruce’s double wasn’t fielded cleanly by Khris Davis, who was charged with an error.

Garza went seven innings and allowed seven hits and five runs, including one earned. But the errors still irritated him after the game.

“The guys battled back and we lost it late, but we should have never been in that spot,” Garza said. “My stuff was too good tonight to do something dumb like that.”

Davis, a young left fielder, atoned for his miscue with his shot in the seventh off the black Caterpillar ad affixed to the second deck above right field. Came on a night, too, when he posed for a picture with the iconic Aaron, who finished his stellar 23-year career in 1976 as a designated hitter for the Brewers in old County Stadium.

Bailey had looked well on his way to winning a fifth straight decision after allowing just one run and three hits through six innings. He even wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the fourth by getting Irving Falu to pop out.

No such luck in the seventh. After Davis’ homer, Bailey allowed two singles before Sam LeCure took over on the mound. After Scooter Gennett’s RBI single, Jonathan Lucroy drove in another run on his 28th birthday by beating out a hard chopper to third before Gomez hit his double.

NOTES: RHP Mat Latos will make his season debut Saturday for Cincinnati. Latos will be activated after spending the first two months of the season recovering from surgeries on his right elbow and left knee. Latos will bump Tony Cingrani (2-7) from the rotation, and manager Bryan Price said he wasn’t sure yet whether the left-hander would be demoted to Triple-A Louisville or sent to the bullpen. … Milwaukee plans to activate LHP Tom Gorzelanny before Saturday’s game. The reliever began the season on the DL following offseason shoulder surgery. … RHP Yovani Gallardo (4-4) will start Saturday for the Brewers.

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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