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Anderson leads Rockies over Pirates 8-1

By WTOP Staff

DENVER (AP) — Brett Anderson left Friday night’s game before he wanted to. Still, he was a winner for the first time in 15 months.

Anderson pitched effectively into the seventh inning before a blister ended his night and the Colorado Rockies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-1.

“It’s good. Your goal when you pitch is to win the ballgame and it’s been a while,” he said. “It’s pretty satisfying, especially my first win in the National League. Hopefully I’ll get on a roll here.”

Carlos Gonzalez homered and Josh Rutledge had two hits and drove in four runs for Colorado, which has won consecutive games for just the second time in the last six weeks.

The Rockies are 16-40 since May 20 but they cooled off the Pirates, who entered Friday 44-29 since starting the season 10-18.

Not every Colorado player left Coors Field in a good mood.

Third baseman Nolan Arenado was removed from the game after he failed to run hard to first on a grounder to the mound in the fourth. Pirates starter Charlie Morton bobbled the ball but was able to get Arenado, who jogged at the start before hustling to try and beat the throw.

“We talk a lot about playing the game hard, playing the game right and how important that is, especially when you’ve been getting your (butt) kicked for a while. It’s even more important. It’s imperative,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “I just felt Nolan didn’t meet that standard at that point. Nolan’s a great kid. He’s a great player. That’s how I saw it.”

Anderson (1-3) had not won since beating Houston on April 7, 2013, in his last start for Oakland. He spent four months on the disabled list and moved to the A’s bullpen when he returned.

He was winless in three April starts for Colorado before a broken left index finger put him on the shelf for 81 games. Friday was his third start since coming back and he allowed just two hits in 6 1-3 innings before a blister began to develop on his left index finger

“I noticed it in the bottom of the sixth and then I started throwing some breaking balls there in the seventh and it kind of caught,” Anderson said. “Hopefully got it before thing (turns) major. It didn’t break open and they drained it. I don’t foresee it being a problem.”

He left the game with a 1-0 lead after walking Russell Martin for the third time.

“My stuff is getting better and better and my velocity is coming back,” Anderson said. “… The offense showed up tremendously.”

Tommy Kahnle came on and got the last two outs of the seventh and the Rockies broke it open in the bottom of the inning off Morton (5-10).

Ben Paulsen and Wilin Rosario led off with consecutive doubles and DJ LeMahieu singled. Ernesto Frieri relieved Morton and pinch-hitter Drew Stubbs bounced a grounder over the pulled-in infield for an RBI double. An intentional walk to Charlie Blackmon loaded the bases and Rutledge cleared them with a double to center.

“He pitched a good ballgame through six and the seventh got away from him,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Morton. “Frieri came in and wasn’t able to quite execute the pitches he needed to so they piled up seven on us.”

One out later Gonzalez hit his 10th homer of the season to make it 8-0.

“It was nice to see our offense but it was even better to see the way we pitched tonight,” Gonzalez said. “Anderson gives us a big shot to win this game.”

The Rockies nearly pulled off a triple play in the fifth after Neil Walker led off the inning with Pittsburgh’s first hit of the game.

With runners on first and second, Jordy Mercer hit a sharp grounder to third baseman Charlie Culberson, who stepped on the bag but his throw to second pulled Rutledge’s foot off the base. Rutledge’s relay to first got Mercer, and after a 3-minute, 16-second review the call at second was confirmed.

NOTES: Walker has reached base in 22 straight games. It’s the longest active streak in the majors. … Members of the Manchester United Football Club visited with Rockies players during batting practice. … Pirates 3B Pedro Alvarez was not in the starting lineup for the third straight game because of left knee discomfort. He pinch-hit in the seventh and stayed in the game. … Rockies RHP Christian Bergman (broken left hand) will pitch in a rehab start in Double-A Tulsa on Tuesday. … Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (right lat soreness) will start at Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday. … Rockies manager Walt Weiss said LHP Franklin Morales will get the start Sunday.

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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