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Weeks, Peralta help Brewers beat Rockies 7-4

By WTOP Staff

RICH ROVITO
Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Before the game, Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke insisted Rickie Weeks will still get playing time in a second-base platoon with hot-hitting Scooter Gennett for the first-place Brewers.

Weeks responded by knocking the first pitch from Colorado starter Christian Friedrich over the left-field wall. Weeks also singled in the third and laced a leadoff double in the fifth as the Brewers defeated the Rockies 7-4 Thursday night.

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I’m a professional, so you’ve got to do your job and be ready and go out there and perform,” Weeks said.

His performance impressed Roenicke.

“The first pitch he sees, he just turns on it. A great swing. He had a good night swinging the bat,” Roenicke said.

Gennett leads National League second basemen in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS, but found himself on the bench as the Brewers faced a left-hander in Friedrich.

Not to be outdone, Gennett smacked a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the eighth.

Wily Peralta (9-5) won his fifth consecutive start for Milwaukee, but wasn’t sharp at times. He allowed three straight singles in the fourth before Ryan Wheeler hit a grand slam that gave the Rockies a 4-3 lead.

Peralta gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two in his second win over the Rockies in less than a week.

“He can pitch better,” Roenicke said. “I thought the last three outings that he’s pitched well, but he’s not locked in. He’s still making good pitches, but he’s struggling to get through the lineups.”

Aramis Ramirez added a two-run homer in the first to stake the Brewers to a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth, Weeks led off with a double and moved to third on Ryan Braun’s single. Weeks scored on Lucroy’s single off the top of the wall in straightaway center. Drew Stubbs nearly caught the drive, keeping Braun from advancing beyond second base.

A sacrifice fly by Khris Davis put the Brewers ahead 5-4.

Francisco Rodriguez earned his major league-leading 26th save.

Friedrich (0-2) yielded five runs and nine hits over four innings. He struck out eight and walked one in his second start of the season — both against the Brewers.

“I was getting behind batters and not really executing down in the zone,” Friedrich said. “You just have to execute, especially when you’re ahead.”

Friedrich temporarily settled down after the rough first inning, striking out four consecutive batters during one stretch — including all three in the second. But he ran into trouble again in the fifth, when the Brewers regained the lead.

“It’s a tough recipe when your starter is out of the game before the sixth,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said.

The Rockies threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with two outs. Will Smith struck out Corey Dickerson to preserve Milwaukee’s lead.

In the Colorado eighth, Michael McKenry led off with a double against Brandon Kintzler. After consecutive groundouts, pinch-hitter Brandon Barnes struck out looking, leaving McKenry stranded at third. Kintzler pumped his arms and yelled as he left the mound.

“It was just a matter of the frustration of the leadoff double,” Kintzler said. “Obviously, my whole season has been frustrating, so to walk into the dugout on a positive note, I let my emotions out.”

NOTES: Weeks hit his 26th career leadoff homer. … Wheeler’s grand slam was the first of his career and just his third home run in three seasons of limited action with the Rockies. … Colorado catcher Wilin Rosario left with lower back tightness. … Rockies reliever Boone Logan (left elbow inflammation) made a rehab appearance for Triple-A Colorado Springs. … Milwaukee’s Kyle Lohse (9-2) will face Tyler Matzek (1-2) on Friday in the second of a four-game series.

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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