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Lynn takes heat after Cardinals lose 3-2 to Mets

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lance Lynn refused to take the easy way out and blame the heat.

“I don’t know if you saw my last hitter,” Lynn said after the St. Louis Cardinals lost 3-2 to the New York Mets in 91-degree heat on Wednesday. “I was throwing 95 (mph), I was just fine.”

The opposing pitcher’s bat was the biggest reason Lynn was out of the game after six innings and 88 pitches.

Bartolo Colon worked eight dominant innings and keyed the go-ahead rally with his first career extra-base hit, helping the Mets avoid a three-game sweep.

“The double, just a nice, short stroke,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s not known for his bat. That started the toughest inning for Lance.”

Eric Young and David Wright had an RBI apiece in a two-run sixth that put the Mets up by a run, and Young added an RBI double off Seth Maness in the seventh — a run aided by Colon’s second sacrifice of the game. A day after dropping their sixth straight series in St. Louis, the Mets ended an eight-game road losing streak dating to June 3.

Lynn (7-5) notched his 500th career strikeout and had worked 13 consecutive scoreless innings before running into just enough trouble to sink the Cardinals. He allowed five hits and two runs.

“What happened in the sixth cost us the game,” Lynn said. “I’ve got to be better in that situation. I was throwing the ball pretty well and let it get out of hand there for a couple hitters.”

Matt Carpenter hit his third career leadoff homer for the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in nine games. They had just one runner in scoring position against Colon (7-5), who retired 13 in a row before Daniel Descalso singled with two outs in the eighth.

The 41-year-old Colon was 0 for 43 at the plate since June 10, 2005, when he was with the Angels and singled off the Mets’ Mike DeJean. He had taken only 17 at-bats while in the American League from 2006-13.

Colon doubled just inside the third-base line to open the sixth. He scored his second career run, and first since 2002 with the Expos at Milwaukee, when Young followed with a double.

“It was a good swing, in all honesty,” Lynn said. “I was surprised by it. But I’ve got to make a better pitch, in all honesty.”

Colon won his fifth straight decision and matched his season best for innings, needing just 86 pitches. He allowed four hits, had a season-low one strikeout and walked none.

The Mets batted the pitcher eighth the first two games of the series but returned to a traditional look for the finale with Colon taking a turn.

Left-hander Dana Eveland retired lefty swinging Matt Adams for the final out and his second career save, and first since 2005, after Allen Craig’s infield RBI single off Jenrry Mejia. The Mets won for just the fourth time in 15 games.

Wright just missed giving the Mets three doubles in four at-bats, settling for the go-ahead RBI single. Wright beat the relay to second on an opposite-field flare down the right field line but was tagged out by Descalso when he tried to switch feet.

Carpenter also doubled for the Cardinals after getting a day off.

“At this time of the year it’s probably more mental,” Matheny said. “Mentally he had a nice break and came back out and had a nice day.”

NOTES: The Cardinals begin a four-game series against the Phillies Thursday with Shelby Miller (7-5, 3.42) opposing David Buchanan (2-3, 3.97). The Mets begin a four-game set at Miami with Zack Wheeler (2-7, 4.38) facing Andrew Heaney, making his major league debut. … Cardinals CF Jon Jay got his first assist of the season throwing out Daniel Murphy going for a double in the fourth and is batting .400 (16 for 40) his last 13 games.

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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