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Montero much better, but Mets lose to Cubs 2-1

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Montero avoided the long ball that had plagued him so much. Jenrry Mejia, however, couldn’t keep the Cubs in the ballpark.

Starlin Castro homered off Mejia on the first pitch of the ninth inning to lift Chicago over the New York Mets 2-1 Sunday.

With the score tied at 1 following a strong outing from Montero, Castro greeted Mejia (5-6) with his 13th home run, an opposite-field drive that barely cleared the wall near the right-field corner.

“I tried to go outside, but he went outside and he got it,” Mejia said.

Curtis Granderson tied it with a two-out RBI single off Pedro Strop (2-4) in the eighth, snapping skids of 0 for 17 and 1 for 29. A diving catch by rookie center fielder Arismendy Alcantara moments earlier prevented more potential damage.

The 23-year-old Montero delivered an encouraging performance, throwing 7 1-3 innings for the longest outing of his rookie season. Still, he joined teammate Jacob deGrom and Chris Schwinden as the only Mets pitchers to go winless through their first six major league starts.

“You saw how effective his secondary stuff is. I mean, we had heard his changeup is outstanding and today he showed it. Great use of it, great location with it,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “I thought he pitched an outstanding game. It was really good for him to have a game up here where he knows he can be successful.”

Coming into the game, Montero had served up eight homers in 25 innings — the most in club history through five big league outings. He gave up only four home runs in 74 innings at Triple-A Las Vegas this year.

“I made some adjustments in between starts and they helped me put everything together and be aggressive,” Montero said through a translator.

It might have been his last chance to impress for a while, at least in New York. Montero is likely to be bumped from the rotation if deGrom returns from the disabled list next weekend.

“No matter what happens here in a few days, certainly he has to be very happy with the way he threw today and his confidence has got to be pretty high,” Collins said.

Chicago starter Jake Arrieta allowed two hits in seven smooth innings. Featuring a sharp curve, he struck out nine and left with a 1-0 lead following Luis Valbuena’s run-scoring single in the fourth.

“He made pitch after pitch with it, and we have not swung the bats very well this week,” Collins said.

Hector Rondon got three quick outs for his 17th save, finishing a four-hitter that ended Chicago’s three-game losing streak.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: As expected, 3B David Wright was out of the lineup with a sore left shoulder. Wright left Saturday’s game one inning after he was hit by a fastball in the back of the shoulder, aggravating an area that’s bothered him all summer. Eric Campbell started at third and went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and a double-play grounder. He whiffed to end the game. … DeGrom (rotator cuff tendinitis) threw about 20 pitches, all fastballs, in a bullpen session and said he had no problems. He’ll throw a regular bullpen Tuesday or Wednesday, and so far it appears he’s on track to come off the 15-day DL this weekend for a start at Dodger Stadium. … Collins said he thinks RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (elbow inflammation) will make another rehab start, this time for Class A Brooklyn. Matsuzaka allowed one run and three hits in six innings Saturday for Double-A Binghamton, throwing 69 pitches. “Right now we’re not sure where the fit’s going to be when he’s ready to pitch here,” Collins said.

DOG DAYS

The Mets were held to four hits or fewer for the fourth consecutive game, the third-longest streak in team history. They are 7-10 in August, batting .210 while averaging three runs per game.

UP NEXT

Cubs rookie Kyle Hendricks (4-1, 1.73 ERA) starts the four-game series finale Monday afternoon against 41-year-old Bartolo Colon (11-10, 3.85), who is 0-2 with a 4.73 ERA in five career starts against Chicago. Valbuena has two homers in five at-bats against Colon.

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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