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Padres’ Ross fans 11 in 13-3 rout of Cubs

By WTOP Staff

MATT CARLSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Tyson Ross kept mowing down Chicago Cubs hitters, long enough for San Diego’s suddenly potent offense to carry the Padres to victory for the second straight night.

Ross struck out a career-high 11, and the light-hitting Padres broke out for a season-best nine runs in the sixth inning in a 13-3 rout of the Cubs on Thursday night.

Ross (9-10) allowed one run, five hits and one walk in six innings to reach a career high in wins. He went 3-2 in five July starts, but gave up just four earned runs in 35 innings.

“The power fastball-slider combination was there,” Padres manager Bud Black said. ‘It’s devastating.”

Ross relied on those pitches when he needed to.

“That was my go-to combo,” Ross said. “I’m just trying to get better, and tonight I had my sinker back a little bit and got positive results.”

Rene Rivera had three hits, including a home run, and drove in three runs. Will Venable had three hits and two RBIs, and Alexi Amarista and Chris Nelson also drove in two runs apiece with singles in the sixth-inning outburst that gave the Padres their highest scoring output this season.

“We started the season struggling at the plate and now we’ve been hitting better,” Rivera said. “We’re scoring more runs since the first half of the season. I think it was time to do it.”

The Padres, who finished with 14 hits, delivered an encore on an 8-3 trouncing of the Cubs on Wednesday.

San Diego led 3-1 entering the sixth, but after the first two Padres reached base, Cubs starter Edwin Jackson (5-11) was pulled because of cramping in his right hand and was replaced by Brian Schlitter.

“I felt pretty good and then all of a sudden you go and you can’t throw a fastball for a strike with my finger cramping,” Jackson said.

The first nine Padres reached as San Diego, which carried an MLB-worst .215 batting average into the game, sent 15 men to the plate.

The Padres beat Jackson and the Cubs 11-1 on May 23 in their previous best offensive output.

Starlin Castro, Luis Valbuena and Chris Coghlan drove in Chicago’s runs.

“I thought we tried everything we could to minimize the damage, but it ended up kind of escalating,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. “It seemed like no matter who we used today it kept getting away. It kind of steamrolled.”

Jackson dropped his fourth straight decision over six starts, allowing five runs and seven hits. He hasn’t won since June 20 against Pittsburgh.

He was followed by five relievers as Chicago lost for the 13th time in 16 games.

The Padres tagged Jackson with two quick runs with two outs in the first.

The Cubs cut it to 2-1 in the fourth and had runners on second and third with two outs. But Ross fanned John Baker for his eighth strikeout to end the threat.

Rivera’s solo shot to lead off the fifth made it 3-1.

National League home run leader Anthony Rizzo swung and missed a 3-2 pitch in the dirt with two out in the fifth to apparently end the inning. But the ball got away from Rivera, and Rizzo reached first with Arismendy Alcantara taking third.

Black asked for a review, claiming the batted ball struck Rizzo, but the play was upheld.

NOTES: The Padres plan to recall RHP Jesse Hahn and start him in Atlanta on Friday against LHP Alex Wood (7-7). Hahn, 24, is 5-2 in seven starts with San Diego this year. … Padres rookie Jake Goebbert, a former Northwestern University standout, started in left field after sitting out Wednesday. Goebbert’s parents own a pumpkin farm in nearby Hampshire, Illinois, and he had a large group of friends and relatives in the stands. … Cubs C Welington Castillo was rested after drawing boos during Wednesday’s loss when he didn’t run out a comebacker. … Cubs LHP Travis Wood (7-9,) will face St. Louis’ RHP Joe Kelly (2-1) on Friday.

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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