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Stanton hospitalized after beaning vs Brewers

By WTOP Staff

MARK KASS
Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Miami Marlins lost much more than a game. They’ve likely lost All-Star slugger Giancarlo Stanton for the rest of the season after a frightening scene at Miller Park.

Stanton sustained multiple facial fractures, dental damage and cuts that needed stitches after being hit in the face by a fastball from Milwaukee’s Mike Fiers.

The Marlins said Stanton, the major league RBI leader and a top candidate for the NL MVP award, would return to Miami on Friday.

“We do not believe he will require surgery,” the team said Friday.

Asked if Stanton could play again this season, Marlins manager Mike Redmond said, “It does not look good.”

“It’s devastating for us. Devastating. For his season to end like that, I mean, that’s not good,” Redmond said.

Stanton’s father was at Thursday night’s game and came onto the field while his son was treated. Stanton was bleeding heavily from his mouth, and was driven away from the plate in an ambulance. His father rode with him to the hospital.

Redmond said Stanton did not lose consciousness. Stanton did not say anything while down on the ground, Redmond said.

“It was very, scary,” Redmond said. “We’re hoping he is going to be all right.”

The outfielder tops the NL with 37 home runs and has 105 RBIs, and is batting .288. Miami has 17 games left this year.

It was ruled that Stanton swung trying to get out of the way of the 88 mph pitch from Fiers. Reed Johnson batted for Stanton and was hit in the hand by Fiers’ next pitch, bringing angry players off the Marlins bench. Miami’s Casey McGehee and Redmond were ejected.

It was also ruled that Johnson swung at the pitch that hit him, ending the inning with two runners on base.

“I’ve never seen anything like that and I’ve definitely never seen two swings called on those two plays,” Redmond said. “I’ve never seen a guy get hit in the mouth and called for a swing. He’s out there bleeding at home plate and for the first base ump to say he swung at that pitch, what a joke.”

Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg said he consulted with first base umpire D.J. Reyburn and determined that both Stanton and Johnson had swung.

“We’ve both looked at it and, yes, he did swing. They both did, at those pitches,” Kellogg said.

Redmond and Johnson said the benches cleared because of the reaction by Fiers after Johnson get hit. Fiers threw up his hands and looked into the Marlins’ dugout.

“He just knocked out our best player, hit him in the mouth and then you just hit another guy in the hand,” Redmond said. “What are we supposed to do? No doubt, we’re trying to win games, they’re trying to win games, but you just hit a guy in the mouth.”

Fiers insisted the pitch got away from him. He apologized to Stanton on Twitter after the game and was distraught on the field and in the locker room.

“It was heat of the moment stuff,” Fiers said. “I just want to make sure that Stanton is OK. I just want to send my thoughts and prayers and everything to Stanton. You never think of throwing at somebody like that. Never in my life has that happened. I just feel very, very sad that I hit him. I’m sorry to their teammates, their fans, his family. It is just tough.”

Miami reliever Anthony Desclafani hit Carlos Gomez in the sixth with a pitch and was quickly ejected by Kellogg. Marlins bench coach Rob Leary was also tossed.

Ryan Braun and rookie Matt Clark hit home runs for Milwaukee. The Brewers are 1 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh for the second NL wild-card spot.

Fiers (6-2) pitched five innings. He is 6-1 since being recalled from the minors to join the rotation Aug. 9. Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth to record his 41st save in 46 chances.

Nathan Eovaldi (6-11) lasted only four innings, giving up four runs and eight hits.

HOME RUN STREAK

Marcell Ozuna hit his 23rd homer in the eighth, a two-run shot. Ozuna homered in his fourth straight game, tying a team record.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: RHP All-Star Henderson Alvarez is set to return to the mound Friday as he missed his last start after straining his oblique Sept. 1.

Brewers: Braun was back in the starting lineup after not starting the past two games as he nurses a thumb injury.

UP NEXT

Marlins: Miami moves on to Philadelphia, where Alvarez (10-6) will face Phillies LHP Cole Hamels (8-7).

Brewers: RHP Kyle Lohse (5-2) will start the opener of Milwaukee’s three-game series with Cincinnati to end an 11-game homestand. The Reds will counter with RHP Mat Latos (5-5).

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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