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Leake strikes out career-high 12 in Reds win

By WTOP Staff

RICK EYMER
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Mike Leake has gotten stronger every year, and his fastball velocity has increased as a result. Even so, he still doesn’t know where all those strikeouts came from.

Leake allowed four hits in eight innings and had a career-high 12 strikeouts in the Cincinnati Reds’ 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.

“It didn’t feel like that many,” said Leake, who allowed one run and walked one, which was intentional. “But I guess it’s a big accomplishment. I’m not high on strikeouts.”

Cincinnati manager Bryan Price thinks Leake (6-6) could be a strikeout pitcher if that was his goal.

“He’s pretty consistent hitting 93, 94 mph with his fastball,” said the former pitching coach. “That’s not a fastball you have to apologize for. He could throw more pitches and be less effective but strike out more guys.”

Brandon Phillips had three hits, including a home run and double, and scored twice in his return to the lineup for the Reds, who won their fifth in six games.

Leake, still looking for his first major league shutout, didn’t try to talk his way onto the mound for the ninth. He hasn’t pitched a complete game in nearly two years.

Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.

“We have a good closer, why not use him?” Leake said.

Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier each added two hits for the Reds. Bruce doubled in the seventh and has an extra-base hit in each of his last seven games, the longest streak by a Reds player since Dave Parker did it in eight straight in 1986.

“We seem to play well here,” Bruce said. “With this pitching staff, if you put runs on the board, you have a chance.”

Adam Duvall, making his major league debut, hit a home run for the Giants, who lost for the 12th time in 16 games.

Ryan Vogelsong (5-4) allowed a run on five hits over six innings one day after Tim Lincecum threw a no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. He struck out seven and walked one.

“I rubbed up against him before the game, but it didn’t work,” Vogelsong said. “I just wasn’t good enough.”

Jean Machi, who allowed Phillips’ home run leading off the seventh, had his scoreless streak end at 25 1-3 innings.

Zack Cozart and Ryan Ludwick also drove in runs for the Reds, who have won eight of their last 10 games, including playoffs, in San Francisco.

The Reds ended a scoreless duel with a run in the fifth. Phillips, who missed the last three games with a bruised heel, led off with a single. Two outs later, Cozart doubled him home.

Bruce followed Phillips’ homer with a double and scored on Ludwick’s single.

Duvall hit a 0-2 pitch from Leake into the left field bleachers to put the Giants on the scoreboard.

“That’s a feeling I’ll never forget running the bases,” Duvall said. “I tried to tell myself it was the same game, just a bigger crowd.”

Leake allowed a two-out double to Buster Posey in the first and then retired 15 of the next 16 hitters before Hunter Pence’s triple in the sixth. Leake improved to 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in four starts at AT&T Park.

The Giants also threw out two runners at home. Billy Hamilton tried to score on Devin Mesoraco’s shallow fly to second baseman Joe Panik in the sixth, and Brandon Crawford nailed Mesoracso trying to score on Phillips’ double to center field in the eighth.

NOTES: Frazier has a 13-game hitting streak against the Giants. … Chapman has at least one strikeout in each of his last 33 appearances, the longest active streak by a reliever and the fourth longest since 1900. . Reds LHP Tony Cingrani, optioned to Triple A Louisville on Friday, was placed on the minor league disabled list with a strained shoulder. That came as a surprise to the Reds, who sent him down to work. … RHP Johnny Cueto (7-5, 1.86), the major league leader in ERA, pitches for the Reds on Friday night. He’s won his last two decisions. . LHP Madison Bumgarner (9-4, 2.63) goes for the Giants. He’s 2-2 in five starts against the Reds. … Giants 1B Michael Morse was scratched because of illness. . Duvall became the 11th Giant since 1958 to homer in his first game. … The Junior Giants Stretch Drive Fund, created in honor of Hall of Famer Willie McCovey, began Thursday to help provide baseball programs in 90 underserved communities. Information can be obtained at the website jrgiant.org.

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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