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Padres blanked again in 3-0 loss to Rockies

By WTOP Staff

DENVER (AP) — Eric Stults kept the San Diego Padres close. Once again, it didn’t do any good.

Tyler Matzek pitched a three-hitter for his first career shutout, Nolan Arenado and Drew Stubbs homered, and the Colorado Rockies beat San Diego 3-0 Friday night.

The defeat was the 17th time this season that San Diego has been shut out, and Stults (6-16) has been on the mound for five of those losses.

“My job is to pitch. I have to give us a chance to win,” Stults said. “If we don’t score runs, I can’t control that.”

Manager Bud Black said Stults, who allowed three runs in 6 1-3 innings in another quality outing, hasn’t gotten the run support that he’s deserved. And it’s certainly not the only time that’s happened to Stults, who has received one or no runs of support in 15 of his 28 starts.

“There are certain guys in certain rotations that happens to,” Black said. “It just falls on his day, which is tough luck. Eric battled again. He was a victim of a night when we didn’t score.”

It was the third straight victory for Matzek (5-9) since snapping a five-game losing streak. The Padres managed only one extra-base hit against Matzek — a leadoff double by Abraham Almonte in the ninth that went over the head of left fielder Corey Dickerson.

He struck out six, including three in the third around Rymer Liriano’s single, the only other hit to reach the outfield.

Matzek was the first Rockies pitcher to go the distance this season. He improved to 5-0 with a 0.97 ERA in five starts in which he’s pitched at least seven innings.

The Padres have lost three in a row.

Matzek also caught a sharply hit liner that shot right back to him off the bat of Liriano in the eighth and had two sacrifice bunts, the first of which put D.J. LeMahieu in position to score on Charlie Blackmon’s fifth-inning single.

Stubbs gave Matzek a lead to work with in the first when he connected on a 2-2 pitch for his 14th home run of the season.

Arenado led off the sixth with his 16th home run and second in as many games. He drove a 1-0 pitch from Stults into the left field seats.

QUALITY STARTS

Stults has gone six or more innings 13 times this season but is 5-6 with a 2.94 ERA in those outings.

ZERO SUM GAMES

The 17 shutouts are the most for San Diego since being blanked 19 times in 2011

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: RHP Joaquin Benoit, who hasn’t pitched since Aug. 26 because of soreness in his pitching shoulder, was expected to miss at least another seven to 10 days. However, manager Bud Black said he anticipates Benoit will pitch again before the end of the season. An MRI taken a week ago did not reveal any structural damage.

Rockies: RHP Jhoulys Chacin, on the DL since late June because of inflammation in his right shoulder, has resumed some throwing activities, but manager Walt Weiss said it’s unlikely he’ll return before the end of the season.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP Joe Wieland is set to start Saturday night’s game against the Rockies in his first big league outing in more than two years. Wieland missed most of the 2012 season, all of 2013 and most of this season after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow in July 2012. He last pitched in the majors on May 6, 2012, against Miami at Petco Park.

Rockies: LHP Jorge De La Rosa, signed to a two-year contract extension by the Rockies earlier this week, will look to continue his recent success against the Padres. De La Rosa has limited the Padres to three or fewer runs in each of his past four starts.

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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