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Braves’ win streak ends with 3-1 loss to Arizona

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Alex Wood’s plan was to make sure he didn’t let Paul Goldschmidt beat the Braves.

Wood couldn’t believe Goldschmidt still found a way to come through with the biggest hit of the game.

Atlanta’s nine-game winning streak ended Sunday as Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer that sent the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 3-1 victory over the Braves.

Wood issued a walk to pitcher Wade Miley to open the third inning before Goldschmidt’s two-out homer gave the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead. Goldschmidt, who had an infield single in the first, had two of Arizona’s three hits off Wood.

“That’s baseball for you,” Wood said. “You go into the game telling yourself that there’s one guy you don’t want to let beat you and then he ends up beating you.”

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Goldschmidt makes a habit of ruining game plans.

“That guy’s got a lot of people,” Gonzalez said. “He’s pretty legit.”

B.J. Upton was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts to end his career-best 11-game hitting streak for NL East-leading Atlanta. The loss kept the Braves from sweeping their third straight series.

“We had a great run, had a great homestand,” Gonzalez said.

Goldschmidt had to delay his home run trot as he waited to make sure the ball, which hit the foul pole, stayed fair.

“I knew it probably had the distance but it started fair and was going, so that was one of the few times I was watching to see what was going to happen,” Goldschmidt said. “I saw it hit the pole and come down. I was pretty happy.”

Wood (6-7) allowed two runs on only three hits and three walks in seven innings.

Miley (4-6) earned his first win since May 10. He allowed one run on five hits and one walk in 6 2-3 innings, striking out eight. He had been 0-3 in his previous nine starts, including a streak of five straight no-decisions.

“He was really, really good,” Gonzalez said. “He was throwing a slider that had some depth to it. He commanded his fastball both sides of the plate, caught some of our right-handed hitters looking. The ball kept coming back.”

Before the game, the Diamondbacks traded right-hander Brandon McCarthy and cash to the Yankees for left-hander Vidal Nuno.

Pinch-hitter Nick Evans’ run-scoring double off Luis Avilan in the ninth pushed Arizona’s lead to two. Evans drove in Martin Prado, who singled off Anthony Varvaro and stole second base.

Addison Reed gave up a leadoff single to Tommy La Stella in the ninth before striking out Christian Bethancourt. Reed wrapped up his 20th save when Ryan Doumit hit into a double play.

Arizona right-hander Brad Ziegler gave up a leadoff single to Andrelton Simmons in the eighth. With one out, Ziegler walked Justin Upton, and the runners advanced on Jason Heyward’s groundout. Ziegler struck out Chris Johnson to end the inning.

Walks hurt both starting pitchers.

Wood walked Miley to open the third inning. With two outs, Goldschmidt’s 16th homer gave the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead. Goldschmidt, who had an infield single in the first, had two of Arizona’s three hits off Wood.

Miley walked Justin Upton to open the fourth. He scored from second on Johnson’s single up the middle.

Miley didn’t allow another hit until Bethancourt singled with two outs in the seventh. Evan Marshall got the final out of the inning after walking pinch-hitter Dan Uggla.

NOTES: Braves C Evan Gattis, on the 15-day DL with a bulging thoracic disk, said an epidural early in the week helped “a little bit” but his back remains “just a little tight right now.” He said he began stretching exercises on Saturday. … The Braves open a four-game series at the Mets on Monday night with LHP Mike Minor facing RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. Arizona RHP Chase Anderson will start when the Diamondbacks open a home series against Miami. … Atlanta’s previous loss was June 26 at Houston.

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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