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Garza rebounds from poor outing, Brewers win 9-1

By WTOP Staff

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Matt Garza was fuming after his previous start, the shortest of his career when he recorded just one out and allowed five runs.

What a difference five days make.

Garza allowed two hits in eight innings, and Ryan Braun hit one of three homers for the Milwaukee Brewers in a 9-1 victory over the New York Mets on Thursday night.

“His last start probably upset him enough that he had a lot to prove tonight, and he threw the ball well,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Jonathan Lucroy and Khris Davis also connected for the Brewers, who took a 6-0 lead after three innings against Dillon Gee (4-3) to win their fourth consecutive game.

Garza (7-7) gave up five runs in one-third of an inning Saturday at Washington.

It was a different story against the Mets. The right-hander yielded a third-inning single to Wilmer Flores, recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas earlier Thursday, and a seventh-inning homer to Lucas Duda. Garza struck out four and walked one.

Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said Garza had been throwing the ball well before the game against the Nationals.

“I don’t know how many outings, five, six in a row until that last one,” Roenicke said. “And I didn’t think he threw the ball that bad the last one.

“I think he still had a lot of confidence. He was attacking the zone with the fastball. When he’s good that’s what he does so well. He looked very confident coming into it.”

Garza downplayed the comeback this time, instead focusing on keeping the Brewers’ winning streak going.

“The bigger thing was I kept this thing rolling,” he said. “Our guys are swinging the bats well. I got an early cushion so it was easier to keep attacking. It was one of those nights where everything clicked on offense and it made my job a lot easier on the mound.”

The Mets sent 31 batters to the plate, four over the minimum.

Milwaukee limped into the All-Star break, losing 11 of 13 games. They have won five of seven since then to open a three-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Central.

During their slump, the Brewers had a power outage, hitting only seven homers in 13 games. Since the break, they have 12 in seven games.

Lucroy hit his 12th and Davis added his 17th homer, both solo shots. Braun had a two-run shot, deep to left field. It was his 14th long ball and extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

“Hitting is contagious,” Davis said. “Once we start popping them out of the yard it feels like everybody is going to start.”

Duda’s homer was his career-high 16th.

Gee lasted only five innings for the second consecutive start and allowed six runs, the most he has given up all season. The right-hander allowed six hits and two walks and struck out six.

It was the most runs given up by Gee since he was allowed seven in an 8-3 loss at Philadelphia on April 9, 2013, a span of 40 starts.

“It seemed like everything they swung at, they hit hard,” Gee said. “I am confident I can get it turned around.”

He was replaced to open the sixth by Daisuke Matsuzaka, whose first pitch was hit by Davis over the fence.

NOTES: The Mets optioned OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis to Las Vegas. … Mets SS Ruben Tejada was given the day off as a precaution after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Seattle’s Taijuan Walker. RF Curtis Granderson returned to the New York lineup after missing two games with a stomach virus. He went 0 for 4. … The Brewers are playing Michael Jackson songs when Carlos Gomez strides to the plate, and the quirky outfielder is raising his right leg and imitating a leg kick done by the King of Pop before entering the batter’s box.

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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