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Collins ejected, slumping Mets lose 3-1 to Brewers

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Jacob deGrom didn’t get much help from his teammates — or the umpires, for that matter. And that’s what led to an early exit for manager Terry Collins.

Jonathan Lucroy had three hits and Wily Peralta pitched into the seventh inning to send the Milwaukee Brewers past the slumping New York Mets 3-1 Wednesday night.

Still looking for his first career win, deGrom (0-3) was lifted in the sixth after throwing 80 of his 107 pitches for strikes. The shaggy-haired rookie has a 3.44 ERA following six mostly solid starts.

“One of these days we are going to get that big hit for him and he’ll get that win,” Collins said after his team’s seventh loss in eight games.

Collins made it halfway through the latest defeat, ejected in the fifth for arguing a replay ruling. The attendance of 20,170 marked the smallest crowd at Citi Field this season — for the second consecutive night.

With the Mets trailing by two, Taylor Teagarden was called out on a bang-bang play at first base to open the bottom of the fifth. Collins challenged, and the crowd cheered when replays appeared to show Teagarden was safe by a hair.

But the call stood upon review, bringing a confounded Collins out of the dugout again. He gestured toward the big video board in center field and was given some leeway during the discussion before getting tossed by plate umpire Gary Cederstrom.

“Too hard for (them) to overturn, I guess,” Teagarden said.

It was Collins’ first ejection this season. Managers are not allowed to argue replay rulings.

“I knew when I left the dugout what was going to happen,” Collins said. “Sometimes you have to have an answer.”

Collins said umpires have suggested he visit Major League Baseball’s replay center in Manhattan, and he said “now I think I will.”

“I’ve seen closer plays than this one tonight overruled,” he said. “I think the system works and it’s been outstanding. Tonight, for whatever reason, whatever they say that I didn’t see, it didn’t get changed.”

Lucroy doubled twice and drove in a run, raising his batting average to .341. Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura each had an RBI as the NL Central leaders wore down deGrom.

“They were really aggressive in that first inning,” deGrom said. “Three bloop hits and to get out of that was good, but whenever you start out like that, in the back of your mind, you’re like, it’s going to be a rough night.”

Peralta (6-5) used a 96-98 mph fastball and his nasty slider to hold scuffling David Wright and the punchless Mets to four hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander won his second consecutive start following a four-game losing streak.

It was the second time Peralta has shut down the Mets. He beat them 3-0 with eight innings of two-hit ball at Miller Park on Sept. 16, 2012.

“This was a different animal tonight,” Collins said. “We just didn’t get many good balls to hit.”

Will Smith worked a scoreless eighth and ex-Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez got three quick outs for his 20th save in 22 attempts.

With the score tied in the fourth, New York left fielder Curtis Granderson misplayed Aramis Ramirez’s leadoff double. Segura tried to squeeze home a run with one out, but bunted foul. On the next pitch, he lined an RBI single to snap a 2-for-28 skid.

Lucroy’s fifth-inning double sent Ryan Braun to third. He scored on Gomez’s infield single to make it 3-1.

NOTES: Mets RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to make his next start after getting hit in the leg with a line drive during Tuesday night’s win. Matsuzaka will remain in the rotation at least until RHP Dillon Gee (strained lat) returns, Collins said. … Teagarden earned another start after hitting a grand slam in his Mets debut Tuesday. Anthony Recker will probably catch LHP Jonathon Niese on Thursday night, Collins said. … The Mets said prized pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard was placed on the seven-day disabled list at Triple-A Las Vegas because the team needed to clear a roster spot. The right-hander was expected to go at least five-to-seven days without throwing anyway after spraining the AC joint in his left shoulder on a tag play at the plate last Thursday. The move was made retroactive to June 9 and Syndergaard is eligible to return Monday. … New York signed 16 draft picks including its third-round selection, high school shortstop Milton Ramos from Florida. … Brewers RHP Kyle Lohse (7-2, 3.27 ERA) faces Niese (3-3, 2.68) in the series finale. Lohse was riding a seven-game winning streak before getting hit hard in a 15-5 loss at Pittsburgh last Friday. He is 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in three starts at Citi Field.

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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