Skip to main content

Braves ineffective in 11-3 loss to Cosart, Marlins

By WTOP Staff

CHRISTOPHER STOCK
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — The Atlanta Braves haven’t been able to figure out Jarred Cosart.

Not many teams have lately.

Cosart pitched into the eighth inning, Marcell Ozuna had four hits and four RBIs, and the Miami Marlins beat the Braves 11-3 on Friday night.

Cosart (4-1) is 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA in three starts against the Braves this season.

“I feel like he was better in Atlanta than he was tonight,” Braves right fielder Jason Heyward said. “But with his stuff, it’s not hard to get into a groove. He was able to get a lead early and settle in.”

Giancarlo Stanton drove in two runs and Donovan Solano also had four hits for the Marlins, who had a season-high 18 hits.

“I hope the Marlins got all their hits out of the way,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Freddie Freeman hit his 18th home run for the Braves, who have lost three of four.

Cosart, who came into the game with the lowest ERA (0.65) in the majors since Aug. 12, retired 13 batters in a row during one stretch and allowed five hits and two runs in 7 2-3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.

“(Jarred) did exactly what we needed him to do, come out in the first game of the series, set the tone,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. “Our offense answered the bell, too.”

Casey McGehee and Ozuna had RBI singles off Aaron Harang (10-10) in the first inning and Ozuna and Justin Bour had RBI doubles in the third to give the Marlins a 4-0 lead.

Stanton’s two-run double extended the lead to 6-0 and gave him 104 RBIs on the season.

“It’s really comfortable as a starter when we go out there and just jump on the other guy early,” Cosart said.

Harang allowed six runs in 3 2-3 innings, which was his shortest outing since Aug. 7, 2013 when he pitched two innings against Toronto while with Seattle.

“Warming up for the game, I felt awesome,” Harang said. “I couldn’t miss a pitch. As a pitcher, usually those are the nights you have to bite your lip and get through it. Tonight was one of those days.”

Solano’s third hit of the game drove in a run for a 7-0 advantage before Freeman’s solo home run to left-center field made it 7-1.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Adeiny Hechavarria added RBI singles in the seventh for the Marlins.

Andrelton Simmons hit an RBI single in the eighth to end Cosart’s night.

“I’ve came out the same way the last three games so that’s wearing on me a little bit,” Cosart said. “It might be that I’m looking ahead because I really want to finish the game.”

Ozuna’s two-run double capped the scoring.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez (left oblique strain) played catch today without any pain and plans on throwing a bullpen session on Saturday or Sunday with hopes of returning to the rotation sometime next week. “I’m hoping next week, but we’ll see how that whole thing goes,” Marlins manager Mike Redmond said.

UP NEXT

Braves LHP Alex Wood (10-10, 2.92) will start on Saturday against Marlins RHP Nathan Eovaldi (6-10, 4.19). Wood is 3-2 with a 1.86 ERA over his last seven starts.

CAN’T HURT TO ASK

Solano is 6 for 8 in his career against Harang.

“I don’t know how to get Solano out,” Harang said “Maybe I should go next door and ask him because it’s ridiculous how many hits he’s been getting off me the past couple of games.”

STANTON REACHES ANOTHER PLATEAU

Stanton became just the sixth player in franchise history to reach 30 doubles, 30 homers, and 10 steals in a season and the first since Hanley Ramirez in 2008.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote