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McCutchen homers as Pirates beat Marlins 8-6

By WTOP Staff

MIAMI (AP) — Boosted by a torrid stretch at the plate, the Pittsburgh Pirates have returned to .500 again. Judging by the hitting and pitching they got on Saturday, they could have a winning record soon.

Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run homer and Jody Mercer also went deep, leading the Pirates to an 8-6 victory over the Miami Marlins.

Josh Harrison and Chris Stewart had three hits apiece, and the Pirates finished with 18 overall in their sixth consecutive game in double digits. Touted rookie Gregory Polanco had two hits and two RBIs.

“When you put people on base, you can do a lot,” McCutchen said. “Getting on the board first definitely helps us. We’ve got a lot of guys swinging the bat, basically from one to nine.”

The Pirates (34-34) have won four straight and five of six to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 8-8 following a victory over Milwaukee on April 17.

“You believe in the talent and you believe in the guys on the team,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “You just dig in and you go. These guys have been resilient in challenging times.”

Pittsburgh right-hander Charlie Morton (4-7) pitched seven effective innings for his third consecutive win. He allowed two runs and five hits to improve to 4-1 with a 2.40 ERA in his last five starts.

“It’s nothing special, nothing different,” Morton said. “I just go out there and do my job.”

Marcell Ozuna and Jeff Baker each hit a two-run homer for Miami in the ninth. Jason Grilli then replaced Stolmy Pimentel and allowed a single to Rafael Furcal before retiring Chris Johnson for his 10th save in 13 opportunities.

In the series opener Friday, the Pirates a squandered a 6-2 lead in the ninth and needed 13 innings for an 8-6 win.

“It’s nice to get a win though,” Mercer said. “That’s all that matters. As long as we’re on top in the end with the third out, we’ll take it.”

Mercer hit a leadoff home in the second and McCutchen connected in the fourth, making it 5-0 with a drive to left for his 11th of the season.

McCutchen extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He is hitting .439 (18 for 41) in June.

“I’m just getting pitches to hit and I’m hitting them,” he said.

Marlins starter Randy Wolf (1-3) allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings.

“It was embarrassingly bad,” Wolf said. “It’s frustrating to physically feel fine but not have command of your pitches. The only thing you can do is get better, but, right now, it’s frustrating.”

McCutchen also made a sliding catch to rob Furcal of a base hit in the fifth. Furcal is 1 for 11 since rejoining the Marlins on Friday from hamstring and groin injuries that sidelined him for the team’s first 65 games.

Ozuna had a run-scoring triple in Miami’s two-run fourth, but Pittsburgh added three more in the fifth. Mercer doubled home a run against Kevin Slowey and Morton helped himself with a run-scoring sacrifice squeeze. Polanco added a run-scoring single for an 8-2 lead.

“Give our offense credit for coming back there at the end,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “It continues to show the character of our guys – they don’t quit.”

NOTES: Harrison missed the last two games because of left ankle discomfort. … Pittsburgh called up veteran RHP Vance Worley from Triple-A Indianapolis so he can start on Sunday against Miami. Worley, 26, will be making his debut with the Pirates, who acquired him on March 25 from the Twins for cash considerations. He has a career record of 19-18 with a 4.05 ERA while pitching parts of three seasons with the Phillies and last year with the Twins. … RHP Henderson Alvarez is Miami’s scheduled starter for Sunday’s series finale … Marlins LF Christian Yelich got the day off after he left Friday’s game in the first inning with a lower-back injury. The Marlins are hoping he can return in a day or two.

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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