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Pirates get 2 big wins against Cubs

By WTOP Staff

PAUL LADEWSKI
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Lots of positive news for the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field on Saturday. They collected two wins over the Chicago Cubs, and then there was an optimistic report on the status of dynamic infielder Josh Harrison.

Francisco Liriano struck out nine in six innings, and the Pirates beat Cubs 5-0 after taking the suspended series opener in 11 innings.

“He had real good swing-and-miss stuff,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “He threw a lot of pitches that looked like strikes and ended up balls. The nine Ks were big for us — and him pitching through the sixth.”

Pittsburgh began the day in third in the NL Central, five back of St. Louis and two games behind in the wild-card race.

The Pirates picked up a 5-3 victory in the resumption of Friday’s series opener, stopping a four-game losing streak. Harrison finished with four hits and two RBIs, including a tiebreaking RBI single in Pittsburgh’s final at-bat.

But the All-Star also re-injured his left ankle while making an over-the shoulder catch in short center field in the bottom of the 11th. He was out of the lineup for the rest of the day.

Harrison said he was fine as he made his out of the clubhouse after the two wins.

“He came down later on and would have been available to pinch hit, he said, so maybe it’s not as bad as it looked,” Hurdle said. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”

Andrew McCutchen had three hits in the second game for the Pirates, who improved to 11-4 against the Cubs this year. Jordy Mercer hit an RBI single in the first and a leadoff homer in the ninth.

Liriano (4-10) allowed three hits and walked two in his first win since July 29. The veteran left-hander went 0-3 with a 3.75 ERA in six August starts.

“They’re young, but they’re pretty good hitters, most of them,” Liriano smiled. “I know they wanted to swing the bat. I wanted to be patient and not throw the ball too far over the plate.”

Justin Wilson, Jared Hughes and Brandon Cumpton each pitched an inning to complete the six-hitter.

Felix Doubront (1-1) pitched five innings in his second game with the Cubs. The lefty, who was acquired in a July 30 trade with Boston, gave up two runs and five hits.

Friday’s series opener was suspended by rain with one out in the top of the seventh inning.

Neil Walker began the 11th with a one-out double off Wesley Wright (0-3), the last of nine Cubs pitchers. Wright then walked rookie Gregory Polanco and pinch-hitter Brent Morel to load the bases before Harrison singled to center. Tony Sanchez added a pinch-hit sacrifice fly.

Mark Melancon (3-4) pitched two scoreless innings for the win and rookie John Holdzkom finished for his first major league save.

In the second game, McCutchen singled and scored on Gaby Sanchez’s groundout in the third, and singled in pinch-runner Chase d’Arnaud to make it 3-0 in the seventh. Chris Stewart added an RBI single in the eighth.

“We weren’t able to score any runs the last half of the first game and the second game, but we’ll settle back in,” Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. “Quite frankly, we just didn’t do very much offensively today.”

BAEZ STRUGGLES CONTINUE

Chicago rookie Javier Baez struck out seven times in nine at-bats in the two games. He has fanned 58 times in 132 at-bats this season.

“We need to keep him in there and see if we can get him to trust what he was actually doing (in the minors),” Renteria said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Charlie Morton is scheduled to pitch a simulated game on Tuesday. He was placed on the disabled list last month with a sports hernia in his right hip. “We need some more information before we can make an accurate read,” Hurdle said of his short-term prospects. … C Russell Martin finished the suspended game after he turned his left ankle on a swing the previous day. Stewart started the nightcap.

Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo will accompany the team on the road next week, but there is no timetable for his return. He sat out his 10th and 11th straight games because of a strained lower back. … C Welington Castillo started the second game behind the plate after he was scratched on Friday due to tightness in his lower back. … LHP Tsuyoshi Wada, who pitched just 3 1-3 innings on Friday due to mild cramping in his left calf, reported no further problems and was expected to make his next scheduled start.

UP NEXT

Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (7-5, 3.86 ERA) will oppose Cubs LHP Travis Wood (8-11, 4.81 ERA) in the series finale Sunday.

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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