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Reds give up 5 homers, lose to Mets 14-5

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — One question into manager Bryan Price’s postgame interview, there was a long pause. The Reds had lost again, and there wasn’t much new to discuss.

“What do you ask?” Price said. “After a game like that, there’s not a lot to ask. It’s no fun for everybody.”

Kind of describes the whole second half of Cincinnati’s season, which is reaching new lows.

Curtis Granderson and Travis d’Arnaud each hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs on Friday night, powering the New York Mets to their third straight victory, 14-5 over the Reds.

The Mets hit five homers for the first time since 2006. Wilmer Flores and Dilson Herrera had solo shots, and Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer in the ninth. New York scored in every inning except the third, getting a season-high in runs and tying its season high with 18 hits.

Cincinnati changed colors, wearing green caps and trim as part of an Irish Heritage Night promotion. The result was the familiar: A sixth loss in seven games. Cincinnati is 15-31 since the All-Star break.

The loss on Friday dropped the Reds a season-low nine games below .500.

“There’s really not a whole lot to say at this point,” catcher Devin Mesoraco said. “It’s getting to day after day, the same thing. We’re not able to get enough hits, we’re not able to hold down the other team’s offense.”

The Reds have lost 42 consecutive games in which they’ve allowed at least six runs, tying the club record. They did it twice previously, in 1901-02 and 1910-11.

The Reds gave up season highs in hits and tied their season high with 14 runs allowed.

“Nobody wants to be embarrassed like that,” Price said. “We know we have an extremely poor record since the All-Star break. It can get worse, or it can get better. Nobody wants to sit through this for the last three weeks of the season.”

New York has won three in a row for the first time since the All-Star break.

Bartolo Colon (13-11) gave up two runs and seven hits, including Mesoraco’s solo homer, in seven innings. He walked one, the 26th time in 27 starts this season that he has walked two or fewer.

Granderson ended an 0-for-18 slump with an RBI double in the first inning off Alfredo Simon (13-10), who has only one victory since he was picked for the All-Star game. Simon is 1-7 with a 5.27 ERA in 10 starts since then.

New York took control in the fourth. Simon intentionally walked Duda to face d’Arnaud, who hit a three-run homer on the first pitch, his 13th of the season. He leads NL rookies in homers and has the most by a rookie catcher in Mets history. His four RBIs were a career high.

Granderson connected for his three-run shot in the sixth off Ryan Dennick, making it 10-2. Duda hit his 27th homer in the ninth off Daniel Corcino.

David Wright tied his career high with four hits, including an RBI double.

EXTREME CATCHER

Mesoraco has emerged from a 1-for-32 slump by going 11 for 25 with two homers. His 22 homers this season are the most by a Reds catcher since Eddie Taubensee hit 22 in 1999.

STATS

The last time the Mets hit five homers in a game was during a 13-0 victory on Sept. 30, 2006 at Washington. … It was the 20th four-hit game Wright’s career. … Juan Lagares extended his hitting streak to six games. … Reds C Brayan Pena singled twice. He came into the game in a 3-for-34 slump. … 2B Brandon Phillips singled in his first at-bat, ending his season-worst slump at 0 for 20.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: RHP Vic Black had no problems while throwing and is on schedule to return from the 15-day DL on Sept. 8. He has a herniated neck disc. … 2B Daniel Murphy, on the DL with a strained right calf, ran and took batting practice. He’s eligible to return Sept. 9.

Reds: SS Zack Cozart got a cortisone injection in his sore right wrist. He could be available to play as soon as Saturday.

ON DECK

Mets: Dillon Gee (6-6) makes his first career start at Great American Ball Park. He’s 0-1 career against the Reds in two starts.

Reds: Johnny Cueto (16-8) is 2-3 in nine career starts against the Mets with a 4.50 ERA.

___

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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