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Kluber stops Reds, Indians win 7-1

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — If the struggling Cincinnati Reds were hoping for any momentum from winning their last series, it didn’t show up Monday.

Alfredo Simon was tagged for five runs in five innings, and the Reds’ offense disappeared again against a dominant Corey Kluber, as the Cleveland Indians beat Cincinnati 7-1.

Reds manager Bryan Price was clearly displeased with his team.

“What was disappointing and unacceptable tonight was the fact that we didn’t have our head in the game at all,” he said. “Especially those first five innings.”

Back to .500 at 56-56, Cincinnati has averaged 2.4 runs since the All-Star break, scoring just one run seven times.

Simon (12-7) has been especially unlucky during this stretch, as the injury-riddled Reds have scored just seven runs in his last four starts. Cincinnati is 5-12 after going 26-15 from June 1 to the break on July 13.

The Indians went ahead in the first inning on Michael Brantley’s RBI groundout. First baseman Brayan Pena, playing several feet from the bag, fielded the ball. As Simon stood on the mound watching, Pena scrambled to the base and beat Brantley with a feet-first slide. Pena walked the ball back to Simon and had a couple of words with the right-hander for not covering the bag.

Lonnie Chisenhall broke things open in the fourth with a three-run homer to dead center and Brantley added his second RBI in the fifth on a single to push it to 5-0. Yan Gomes’ two-run shot in the eighth made it 7-1.

“That three-run homer, it just seemed like there was a feeling that the game was over,” Price said. “That’s not the way we play.”

Kluber (12-6), who hasn’t lost since June 30, held the Reds to six hits, struck out seven and walked two, as he continued a hot stretch of pitching.

Kluber’s 17-inning scoreless streak ended in the eighth on Pena’s RBI double off reliever Nick Hagadone. That also ended the right-hander’s stretch of not allowing an earned run at 25 innings.

The series between the intrastate rivals features teams trying to remain in playoff contention. The win lifted the Indians (57-55) two games over .500 for the first time since July 22.

ACHING FOOT

Third baseman Todd Frazier, spiked on the left foot Sunday in Miami, started against the Indians and went 0 for 5. “I talked to him during the game yesterday,” Price said. “He said it could have been a lot worse. Other than needing a new pair of shoes and a band-aid, I think he’s OK.”

HIGH PRAISE

Indians manager Terry Francona is a fan of Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton. “The stolen bases kind of speak for themselves,” Francona said. “He has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark, but the stolen bases are something you need to pay attention to. He can change the games with his legs for sure.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: Second baseman Brandon Phillips is traveling with the team as he continues to rehab from a torn ligament in his left thumb. Price said Phillips still can’t swing a bat, but has been taking ground balls, throwing and running.

Indians: Designated hitter Nick Swisher is optimistic his strained right wrist won’t sideline him for more than a couple of days. “I’ve been through stuff like this before,” he said. “It’s just a little tight.” He injured the wrist in his last at-bat Sunday against Texas’ Yu Darvish.

ON DECK

Reds: All-Star right-hander Johnny Cueto (12-6) will start Tuesday. He leads the NL in innings pitched (162 2-3) and opponents’ batting average (.183) and is second in ERA (2.05) and strikeouts (186).

Indians: Right-hander Josh Tomlin (5-7) will be called up from Triple-A Columbus to start Tuesday. He was sent to the minors on July 26 and made one start in Columbus. Tomlin hasn’t won since pitching a one-hitter on June 28.

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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