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Asche homers in 10th, Phillies beat Marlins 3-1

By WTOP Staff

AARON BRACY
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cody Asche certainly savored his game-ending swing Friday night.

Asche hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to do something like that,” Asche said. “It’s a cool feeling.”

Cole Hamels scattered nine hits over seven stingy innings and Philadelphia handed the Marlins their third straight defeat in their first game since Giancarlo Stanton was injured.

Stanton, a leading NL MVP candidate, was struck in the face Thursday night by an 88 mph fastball from Milwaukee right-hander Mike Fiers. Stanton sustained multiple facial fractures and severe lacerations as well as dental damage.

But the two-time All-Star got good news Friday, when the Marlins announced he probably won’t need major surgery. Stanton received dental treatment in Miami and the club hasn’t ruled out a return this season, although that hinges on his medical condition.

“It’s a huge loss,” Miami manager Mike Redmond said. “Not only is he a huge part of the team, but it changes the whole lineup. It is what it is. That’s the situation we’re in. We’re a resilient team.”

Ed Lucas played right field in place of Stanton, who began the day leading the National League in home runs (37) and RBIs (105). Lucas had two hits but committed a costly error.

Jake Diekman (5-4) pitched a scoreless 10th to cap three hitless innings by Philadelphia relievers. Jonathan Papelbon retired the side in the ninth after Ken Giles did so in the eighth.

Asche went deep off Dan Jennings (0-2) with one out. Chris Hatcher retired the first batter in the inning before Jennings relieved. Ben Revere singled to center and then Asche drove a 2-2 slider deep into the seats in right.

“One bad pitch,” Jennings said. “I thought I was throwing well until the last pitch.”

Philadelphia improved to 10-10 in extra-inning games this season.

“It was an exciting finish,” Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. “It goes a long way with the guys in the clubhouse.”

Adeiny Hechavarria had two hits and an RBI for Miami. Henderson Alvarez returned to the rotation after missing his previous turn due to a strained left oblique. He allowed one run and seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.

Hamels struck out six and walked one. The left-hander has yielded three earned runs or fewer in 20 straight starts.

Hechavarria’s two-out single in the sixth, the third of three singles in the inning, gave Miami a 1-0 lead.

The Marlins helped the Phillies tie it in the sixth. Chase Utley doubled and reached third on Lucas’ error in right. After Ryan Howard struck out, Utley scored on Henderson Alvarez’s wild pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: Stanton sent a thank you to fans and supporters on Twitter, saying: “The amount of support I have received from you guys has been tremendous & Heartfelt. I’m much better today & deeply appreciate your prayers!”

Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins missed his fourth straight game since straining his left hamstring on Monday.

UP NEXT

Marlins: LHP Brad Hand (3-6, 4.45 ERA) looks to continue his September rebound Saturday night against the Phillies. After going 0-3 with a 6.17 ERA in August, Hand is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two appearances this month. He pitched six sharp innings in Sunday’s 4-0 win over Atlanta.

Phillies: RHP Kyle Kendrick (8-12, 4.83) continues his September audition for free agency. He is 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA in three starts against Miami this season.

LIGHTS OUT

Giles has retired 23 straight batters, 12 on strikeouts. The hard-throwing rookie has a 1.11 ERA.

BACK IN FORM

Alvarez lasted just 2 1-3 innings in his previous start on Sept. 1. After missing one turn due to the injury, he looked much more like the pitcher who made the All-Star team this season.

“I thought he looked good,” Redmond said. “He gave us a great effort. Too bad we couldn’t capitalize on it.”

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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