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Bullpen collapses, Brewers fall to Pirates 4-2

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jonathan Broxton let loose a 96 mph fastball at Pittsburgh’s Russell Martin, then turned and watched as it disappeared into the darkness.

Kind of like Milwaukee’s fading playoff chances.

Martin hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Broxton in the bottom of the eighth to spark the Pirates to a 4-2 victory on Friday night and deliver another blow to the Brewers’ chances of reaching October.

“I was trying to go down-and-away,” Broxton said. “I don’t know where it was. I don’t watch the videos.”

Good thing. Otherwise he might want to burn this one as Milwaukee dropped 4½ games behind the Pirates in the race for the second National League wild card spot.

The Brewers took a 2-0 lead into the eighth behind a solo homer from Rickie Weeks, an RBI single by Jonathan Lucroy, and seven dominant innings from Yovani Gallardo. And for a second consecutive night, the late advantage vanished as Milwaukee dropped its third straight.

On Thursday, a rare mental blunder by first baseman Mark Reynolds allowed St. Louis to tie the game in the eighth before winning in 13 innings. Less than 24 hours later, the mistake was a physical one.

Broxton (4-3) gave up singles to Starling Marte and Neil Walker before Martin stepped in with one out. The catcher made two ugly checked swings before reaching out at Broxton’s heater and sent it into the third row of seats in right-center field for his 11th homer of the season and by far his most important.

“It’s hard to be happier than that,” Martin said.

Or more devastated than the Brewers. Milwaukee led the NL Central for 149 consecutive days from April 5-Aug. 31 but needs to get hot and get some help in other places to catch the Pirates.

“When you go to late innings, we’re used to putting games away,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “We’ve been really good all year in finishing out games and we’re not doing it right now. At least in the last two days.”

John Holdzkom (1-0) earned the win in relief for his first major league victory. Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his 31st save for the Pirates, who have won a season-high five straight.

Milwaukee arrived in Pittsburgh at 4 a.m. on Friday morning after the meltdown in St. Louis hoping to revive its season against a team it has dominated for years, including an 11-5 mark this season.

Gallardo did his part. He escaped early trouble and then settled down, retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced before giving way to Broxton after 112 leave-it-all-out-there pitches.

“I think I made pitches when I needed to and gave the guys a chance to come back and swing the bats,” Gallardo said.

When Gallardo gave way to Broxton, the Pirates pounced. Milwaukee acquired the burly reliever on Aug. 31 believing he would bolster the bullpen for an expected pennant race. It’s a chase that has stalled in a place where Broxton has struggled. His career ERA at PNC Park is now 13.17.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Milwaukee 1B Mark Reynolds was back in the lineup on Friday, going 0 for 3 less than 24 hours after a rare mental mistake opened the door to a late St. Louis rally.

Roenicke had no qualms about writing Reynolds’ name on the lineup card.

“This guy, instinctually, is unbelievable,” Roenicke said. “That’s why when you see those things happen, it’s surprising. And, you know, why couldn’t you do it in a game that didn’t matter? Or a month ago, when maybe we were winning 6-0 in a game and you make a mistake? It’s just when he made it that was so tough.”

Pirates: RHP Charlie Morton’s return from the disabled list may be short-lived. Pittsburgh pulled Morton from his next scheduled start on Sunday after he felt discomfort in his groin and midsection late in his five innings of work in a victory over Boston on Tuesday. The pain intensified during a bullpen session on Thursday. Vance Worley will take Morton’s spot in the rotation when the Pirates wrap up the series with Milwaukee.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Matt Garza (8-8, 3.74 ERA) will make his third start against the Pirates this season. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 6.55 ERA versus Pittsburgh. He is coming off six solid innings in a victory over Cincinnati last Sunday.

Pirates: Edinson Volquez (12-7, 3.27 ERA) will search for his fifth straight victory when he faces the Brewers on Saturday. The 30-year-old is 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in four starts against Milwaukee this season.

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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