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Howard leads Phillies over Diamondbacks 4-2

By WTOP Staff

AARON BRACY
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The new rule designed to protect catchers helped the Philadelphia Phillies gain a victory.

Ryan Howard homered in his second game since a three-game benching and scored the go-ahead run on an overturned call at the plate in Philadelphia’s 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Arizona’s Miguel Montero was called for blocking the plate before he had the ball and leaving Howard no path, a violation of an experimental rule put in place this season.

“What am I supposed to do? Leave the ball go and get it, or stand still?” Montero recalled telling umpires. “The throw took me there. I went and got the ball. I have no clue where to go on this kind of a play.

I’d much rather be run over. It’s an awkward rule. Let the game alone. It’s been this way for 100 years. It’s kind of not fun anymore.”

With the score 2-2 in the sixth, Howard walked with two outs against Vidal Nuno (0-2). Marlon Byrd popped up to short right field, where second baseman Didi Gregorius backpedaled slowly, settled under the ball and allowed it to kick off his glove and bounce toward center.

Ender Inciarte picked up the ball and threw to the plate, where Montero was blocking Howard’s path, grabbed the throw on the fly and tagged the runner as Howard tried to get around him on the infield side.

Umpire Dale Scott signaled out, but after a review of 2 minutes, 55 seconds, Howard was ruled safe.

“This year that’s a run,” said Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg, who called his team “very fortunate.”

“In the last 100 years, it’s not a run,” he said.

Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson, who came onto to the field to speak with Scott after the video review, said “the rule has to be reevaluated.”

“I didn’t think they got the play right,” Gibson said.

In the first season of expanded video review, the plate-blocking rule has been among the most contentious of the innovations.

“There’s a lot of judgment there and a little bit of confusion,” Sandberg said. “Even 3 1/2 months into the season, here the catcher did not know that he couldn’t stand there the whole time. And then, ultimately, Howard didn’t know his responsibilities as he got to home plate.”

Howard hit a two-run homer in the first, his 16th of the season but second since June 19. He is 3 for 8 since his benching.

“These are a couple of games he can build on and continue to contribute and improve and help the team out,” Sandberg said.

Philadelphia added a run in the seventh when left fielder David Peralta dropped Ben Revere’s fly to the warning track, and Montero was given an error for dropping shortstop Nick Ahmed’s throw and allowing Wil Nieves to score.

Montero admitted the earlier play at the plate had an effect on him in the seventh.

“I thought, What should I do?'” he said. “They make it very hard.”

Roberto Hernandez (5-8) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He had been 0-5 in seven home starts since beating Washington 1-0 on May 4.

“He got groundballs when he needed them, and he threw enough pitches around the zone and got some hitters to swing the bat,” Sandberg said.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a two-hit ninth for his 25th save in 28 chances.

Nuno, making his fourth start since he was acquired from the New York Yankees, gave up four runs — two earned — four hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings.

Nick Ahmed doubled in a run for Arizona in the second, and Paul Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

NOTES: Arizona’s Aaron Hill didn’t play after being hit on the right hand on Saturday night. … Arizona first-base coach Dave McKay wasn’t with the team in order to attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for Tony La Russa. McKay served on La Russa’s staff for 27 straight seasons. … RHP Chase Anderson (6-4, 3.58) starts for Arizona on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati, which starts RHP Homer Bailey (8-5, 4.22). … Philadelphia starts RHP A.J. Burnett (6-9, 3.86) in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets, who start RHP Bartolo Colon (9-8, 4.03).

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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