Skip to main content

Rockies fall just short, lose 5-4 to Cardinals

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — For the second straight night, long balls put the Colorado Rockies in an early hole.

They couldn’t quite overcome mistakes by Franklin Morales with a three-run, ninth-inning rally falling just short in a 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.

“We fought back in the last inning against a tough reliever but I think there were some things we didn’t execute that in the end, we paid for,” manager Walt Weiss said.

Even with the comeback, the Rockies have mustered just seven runs during a five-game losing streak — all on the road. They entered the game batting .318 at home with 108 homers and .227 on the road with 60 homers.

Matt Holliday homered in the first inning for the second straight night and Shelby Miller pitched six solid innings and had an RBI double for St. Louis.

Matt Carpenter added a two-run homer in the second for the NL Central leaders, who have won 12 in a row at home in the final month of the season dating to last Sept. 14. Of their 10 runs in the first two games of this series, seven have come in the first two innings.

Michael Cuddyer had hits his first three trips and scored on Ben Paulsen’s single in the fourth. He doubled to start the sixth with the 3-4-5 hitters coming up, but didn’t advance.

“We needed to manufacture a run or two and we didn’t do it,” Weiss said. “We made a few mistakes and you’re not going to get away with those against a club like that.

“You’ve got to be opportunistic,” Weiss added.

The Cardinals are 9-4 this month and took a 3 1-2 game lead over Pittsburgh.

Wilin Rosario, Josh Rutledge and pinch-hitter Michael McKenry had an RBI apiece in the ninth and the Rockies put the tying run on second before Pat Neshek got pinch-hitter Rafael Ynoa to fly out for his sixth save in nine chances.

Miller (10-9) and Adam Wainwright, who won his 18th game Friday, combined for 13 strikeouts and no walks in 14 innings. Miller has allowed one run his last 20 innings over three starts, with a career-best 17 2-3 inning scoreless streak ending on Paulsen’s hit.

Randal Grichuk flied out to the wall in left field the at-bat before Holliday hit his 18th homer to straightaway center off Franklin Morales (6-8). Morales was one strike away from a perfect second when Pete Kozma walked on a full count, Miller followed with his fifth double and fourth RBI and Carpenter’s eighth homer made it 4-0.

“That was a big walk right there,” Weiss said. “In the end, it cost us.”

Morales worked six scoreless innings to beat the Padres in his last start and though he’s among the league leaders with 24 homers allowed had permitted just one his previous four outings. He needed 28 pitches to get through the first, with just one swing and miss, and gave up four runs in four innings.

“That’s tough, when you have your best stuff and you miss two pitches like I did,” Morales said. “I felt pretty good.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: Justin Morneau did not start after straining a side muscle on Friday. He is day to day.

Cardinals: Michael Wacha has struggled to regain form from a shoulder injury that sidelined him nearly two months and will not start Sunday. The team is hoping a little rest will help the 23-year-old right-hander.

UP NEXT

Rockies: Jordan Lyles (6-2, 4.20) won his first start since coming off the DL from a broken left hand on Aug. 6 but is 0-1 in six starts since then. He gave up a run on three hits with no decision his last start at New York against the Mets.

Cardinals: Rookie Marco Gonzales (2-2, 5.01) makes his fifth career start after backing up Wacha’s two abbreviated starts since coming off the DL.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote