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Harrison’s 4 hits leads Pirates past Rockies, 7-5

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Josh Harrison proved that last month’s escape in a rundown was no fluke. He also helped the Pittsburgh Pirates avoid another sweep at Coors Field.

Harrison had four hits, including a tiebreaking homer, to help the Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 7-5 on Sunday.

Gregory Polanco and Travis Snider also went deep for the Pirates, who avoided being swept in Colorado for the second straight season.

Harrison was a big part of avoiding a third straight loss. He homered on the first pitch of the eighth to break a tie, but his work on the basepaths in the sixth was nearly a carbon copy of a play against the New York Mets on June 27.

After Snider’s two-run homer tied it, Harrison singled. He swiped second but was caught in a rundown when he slid past the bag. He survived to reach third — giving him two stolen bases on the play — and scored on a pinch-hit double by Ike Davis to make it 5-4.

“As I got off, I was like, ‘It’s easy for me to try to make something happen as opposed to trying to reach back to second because he was right there.’ And something happened,” he said. “More and more I got into it, I was able to kind of set up some moves to where I might be able to be safe.”

The Rockies had him caught but couldn’t finish the play when catcher Wilin Rosario tripped and dropped the ball.

“We’ve got to get an out there,” manager Walt Weiss said. “I look at a rundown as a free out. Harrison’s one of the tougher guys to put away in a rundown but we’ve got to get the out there. It was a good play.”

Harrison’s teammates were impressed with his footwork.

“It’s just athleticism,” Davis said. “I don’t know how you do it, but he’s done it, he’s good at it. I wish I had that in the bag.”

Tony Watson (7-1) gave up a run in two innings of relief to get the win and Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his 19th save.

Nolan Arenado and Brandon Barnes homered and Rosario reached base four times for the Rockies, who were going for their first home sweep since taking two from Texas in early May.

“If we won today we would have gone 4-2 on the homestand but it is what it is,” Arenado said. “We were able to split and we won the series.”

Arenado tied it 5-5 with a homer in the seventh, his ninth of the year and second in as many games before Harrison and Polanco struck in the eighth off reliever Rex Brothers (3-5).

“I was looking for a pitch I knew I could get (the) barrel on,” Harrison said. “He threw a pitch that was probably middle, I could either pull or hit the other way. I was able to barrel it to right-center.”

Pittsburgh starter Edison Volquez has struggled against Colorado and at Coors Field. He entered Sunday 3-8 with a 7.80 ERA in 13 career starts against the Rockies. The numbers are even worse in Denver where he was 1-5 with a 8.45 ERA in eight career starts.

He didn’t improve those statistics Sunday. He allowed an RBI single to DJ LeMahieu in the second inning and a two-run homer to Barnes as part of a three-run fourth inning, although only one of the runs was earned.

He left after loading the bases with one out in the fifth. Reliever Jared Hughes got Barnes to hit into an inning-ending double play.

“Bases loaded there, I’m really thinking, ‘Hey, put it in play.’ The best way to do that is to throw strikes,” Hughes said. “That’s what I did. I went out there and got ahead in the count and our defense made a good play.”

Rockies starter Franklin Morales didn’t fare any better. He labored through four-plus innings, allowing two runs on six hits and walking five. He left after issuing two walks to leadoff the fifth. The Rockies got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam when Arenado snared Jody Mercer’s liner and tagged third for a double play and Neil Walker grounded out.

“Good play by Nolan. He had some big hits, Barnes had a big hit,” Weiss said. “There were some things that made you think we would put that game away.”

NOTES: Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki (left hip flexor strain) flew to Philadelphia on Saturday to have his hip checked by Dr. William Meyers. Meyers operated on Tulowitzki’s injured groin in 2012. Tulowitzki was spotted in the stands behind home plate at Yankees Stadium on Sunday. … Pirates 3B Pedro Alvarez returned to the lineup after not starting the past four games. … Pittsburgh RHP Vance Worley (3-1, 3.10 ERA) will start Monday’s series opener in San Francisco. … Colorado LHP Yohan Flande (0-2, 7.20) will start against the Cubs in Chicago on Monday.

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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