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Moss’ HR is A’s only hit in 3-2 win over Rays

By WTOP Staff

DICK SCANLON
Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — This is how well things are going for the Oakland Athletics: They had only one hit — and won.

“Sometimes that’s all you need,” said manager Bob Melvin after the A’s won for the 11th time in 12 games, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 Wednesday night.

Brandon Moss hit a solo homer for Oakland’s only hit and the Athletics took advantage of walks and two errors to win their fifth straight.

“It’s not the easiest way to win a baseball game,” said Moss, who hit his 10th homer. “But it’s better than getting one hit and losing.”

Oakland scored twice on two errors and a pair of walks in the second inning, helping the A’s win a regular-season game for the first time since at least 1914 while getting only one hit, according to the team.

Moss’ 11th extra-base hit in seven games came off Erik Bedard in the fourth inning. Oakland’s fifth straight victory, coupled with Detroit’s loss earlier Wednesday, gave the A’s the best record in the major leagues at 30-16.

Tommy Milone (2-3) gave up two runs in 5 2-3 innings for the A’s.

Bedard (2-2) pitched 5 1-3 innings for the Rays. Four Rays relievers finished the one-hitter, but the Rays gave up seven walks, one reason the A’s didn’t need much hitting.

“It’s pretty remarkable. You don’t hear about that too often, but we did walk a lot,” said Milone. “We worked the count, got on base and put pressure on them. I guess it’s not that surprising when you look back.”

The homer by Moss was the first off Bedard since Sept. 16, 2013, breaking a homerless streak of 49 1-3 innings.

Throwing errors by Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar and second baseman Sean Rodriguez and two walks in the second inning helped the A’s score their first two runs off Bedard.

“It’s really one of the more unusual games to lose,” said Rays manager Joe Maddon. “We pitched extremely well. It’s just an awkward game to give up one hit and lose. The one hit is a home run, and that was the deciding point.”

After Moss’ sixth homer in 16 games made it 3-0, singles by Wil Myers, James Loney and Escobar produced two runs for Tampa Bay in the sixth and chased Milone.

The Rays, who have lost four straight, loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but reliever Fernando Abad got Escobar to hit into a double play.

“That won us the ballgame right there, in my opinion,” said A’s catcher Derek Norris.

Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

Logan Forsythe was credited with a hit off Doolittle when his infield popup caromed off a Tropicana Field catwalk and landed near the pitcher’s mound. The umpires ruled the ball had struck the catwalk in fair territory.

NOTES: The Rays will activate RHP Alex Cobb (strained left oblique) from the 15-day disabled list Thursday to pitch against Oakland RHP Sonny Gray (5-1). Cobb (1-1) went on the 15-day disabled list April 13. The Rays optioned OF Kevin Kiermaier to Triple-A Durham to create Cobb’s roster spot. . . . Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson, coming back from arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in January, will throw batting practice for the first time Thursday. He hopes to be back before the All-Star break. … Melvin said he is hopeful SS Jed Lowrie will play Thursday after missing two games with a strained neck. … RHP Ryan Cook (right forearm strain) might pitch a bullpen session when the A’s return home next week. … LHP Eric O’Flaherty (Tommy John surgery) will throw one inning in a sim game at extended spring training Saturday. He is eligible to come off the disabled list May 29.

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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