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Braves jump on Liriano in 11-3 win over Pirates

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Fredi Gonzalez has seen this before. Every summer it seems.

There will come a time during the season when something clicks in Justin Upton and all the rest of the Atlanta Braves have to do is hop on and enjoy the ride.

Like now, for example.

Upton went 2 for 4 with five RBI in Atlanta’s 11-3 thrashing over reeling Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. The Braves have won five straight and are 7-3 during Upton’s current 10-game hitting streak.

“He gets hot and he can carry us,” Gonzalez said. “He’s done that a few months so it’s nice to have that big bat right behind (Freddie) Freeman, who is starting to roll the pole a little bit also.”

Upton’s 24th homer — a three-run shot off Francisco Liriano (3-10) in the third — broke things open early. He added a two-run single off reliever Brandon Cumpton in the fifth as the Braves extended Pittsburgh’s losing streak to a season-high seven games.

Jason Heyward went 2 for 5 with three RBI for the Braves while Evan Gattis hit his 19th homer on a tape-measure shot that landed halfway up the rotunda behind left field.

“That was a joke,” Upton said of Gattis’ shot.

Aaron Harang (10-7) struck out four without a walk in 8 1-3 innings, his only misstep coming in the ninth when he couldn’t quite nail down his first complete game in 14 months.

“I was locating, getting ahead early, not deep into counts a lot,” Harang said. “They were being really aggressive and swinging at pitches out of the zone. Guys were there to make plays for them.”

Harang even added his first RBI in two seasons, a single up the middle in the second that put the Braves up 1-0. Upton did most of the rest as the Braves ruined Andrew McCutchen’s return to the lineup for Pittsburgh.

McCutchen went 0 for 4 in his first game back after missing two weeks with fractured cartilage in his ribs. The reigning National League MVP left the game after grounding into a double play in the bottom of the eighth. He reported no discomfort but allowed it may take a bit for his timing to come back.

“This is definitely something I’m trying to do, get back in the rhythm of things, get back in the swing of things,” he said. “That will come sooner rather than later.”

Travis Snider, Starling Marte and Russell Martin had two hits apiece for the Pirates, whose current losing streak is their longest since dropping seven straight Sept. 7-14, 2012.

Liriano’s real problems began in the third. He allowed singles by Phil Gosselin and Freddie Freeman to start the inning. Upton sent a lined shot over the wall in left to make it 4-0 and the Braves kept piling on.

Liriano gave up nine runs, seven earned, in four-plus innings. He walked three and struck out four while his ERA rose from 3.78 to 4.18.

“One of those nights anything you throw is gonna get hit,” Liriano said. “They’ve been pretty hot last couple games. I’ve got to put it behind me, got to move forward.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: After failing to retire a single batter against Charlotte in an International League game on Wednesday night, rehabbing right-handed reliever Shae Simmons will make a third appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. Simmons, who has been on the disabled list since July 27 with a strained right shoulder, pitched one scoreless inning in his first outing last Saturday against Norfolk.

Pirates: Shortstop Clint Barmes was given a night off in Triple-A Indianapolis as he recovers from a strained left groin that has sidelined him since late June. The 35-year-old Barmes went 0 for 3 in his first game with the Indians on Monday night.

UP NEXT

Braves: Alex Wood (9-9, 3.07 ERA) goes for his third straight victory on Wednesday for Atlanta. The 23-year-old has a 1.45 ERA over his last six starts but remains at .500 on the season because he receives the second-lowest run support in the majors.

Pirates: Ace-in-training Gerrit Cole (7-4, 3.78 ERA) returns from his second stint on the disabled list on Wednesday. Cole hasn’t pitched in the majors since being sidelined by right lat soreness on July 9. He pitches seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Indianapolis last Friday. Cole is 4-1 in his last five decisions. He will be making his first career start against Atlanta.

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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