Skip to main content

Marlins’ rally falls short in 8-6 loss to Pirates

By WTOP Staff

WALTER VILLA
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins have been getting late offense against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Unfortunately for them, it hasn’t resulted in any wins.

The Marlins have scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth in each of the past two games. The result has been consecutive 8-6 losses.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond said on Saturday he was happy to see his team rally and score four runs in the ninth inning on consecutive days. But he is not happy with his starting pitching.

“We are having trouble getting our starters past the fourth or fifth innings, which is tough on our bullpen,” Redmond said. “They are eating up a ton of innings — too many innings. We have to get our starting pitching figured out.”

The Marlins are also having trouble keeping the Pirates’ top two hitters in the batting order — right fielder Gregory Polanco and left fielder Starling Marte — off the bases. They combined to produce 13 hits the past two games.

That has fueled a Pirates lineup that has been on a roll lately including Saturday, when center fielder Andrew McCutchen and shortstop Jordy Mercer homered.

“Our top of the lineup is getting on base and doing the job right now,” McCutchen said. “When you have that, you can do big things.”

In the ninth, the Marlins got two-run homers by center fielder Marcell Ozuna and pinch-hitter Jeff Baker.

The Pirates brought in closer Jason Grilli, who gave up a single to second baseman Rafael Furcal.

But Marlins left fielder Reed Johnson, who represented the tying run, fouled out to end the game, giving Grilli his 11th save of the season.

The Pirates got 18 hits on Saturday. It was the sixth straight game the Pirates had at least 10 hits, and they have scored a combined total of 33 runs during that stretch.

McCutchen, who has 16 extra-base hits this month, finished with three RBIs. Mercer and Polanco each had two RBIs.

The Pirates (34-34) won their fourth straight game and got back to .500 for the first time since April 17.

Charlie Morton (4-7) got the win, lasting seven innings and allowing five hits, three walks and two runs. He is 4-1 in his past five starts.

Left-hander Randy Wolf (1-3) took the loss, allowing nine hits and five runs in four innings.

Wolf, who had Tommy John surgery last year, would not use that as an excuse.

“It was embarrassingly bad,” Wolf said of his performance. “It’s frustrating to not have command of your pitches.

“Throughout this process (of coming back), my command hasn’t been horrible. But today, it was horrible. It’s not like I was throwing balls to the backstop. But I threw very few balls at the knees. I threw a lot of balls at the belt, and that’s not going to get it done.”

NOTES: Pittsburgh called up veteran RHP Vance Worley from Triple-A Indianapolis so he can start on Sunday against Miami. Worley will be making his debut with the Pirates, but has a career big-league record of 19-18 with a 4.05 ERA. … Marlins LF Christian Yelich was not in Saturday’s lineup. He left Friday’s game in the first inning with a lower-back injury that he suffered while swinging a bat.

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