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Angels hold off White Sox to complete DH sweep

By WTOP Staff

JACK McCARTHY
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Whether it’s Mike Trout and Albert Pujols or Kole Calhoun and Howie Kendrick, there’s no telling who might step up for the Los Angeles Angels on a given day.

On Tuesday, 10 players drove in runs in a doubleheader sweep of the Chicago White Sox, with the Angels winning the first game 8-4 and capping the night with a 7-5 victory.

“I think our guys on the offensive side have proven that they’re going to pressure teams and get us runs,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Our challenge is going to be able to hold leads and we were able to do it today in two games.”

With Tuesday’s wins, the Angels moved to within 3 1/2 games of first-place Oakland in the AL West.

“We kept putting the pressure on,” said reliever Joe Smith, who earned saves in both games. “After you win that first game of a doubleheader, it’s really hard to win two. … (But) you put those runs right up on them early, that was huge for us.”

Calhoun homered and scored twice as the Angels held off the White Sox to complete the sweep. Kendrick added two hits and scored two runs as the Angels improved to 5-0 against Chicago this season. The twin-bill was quickly arranged after Monday’s game was rained out.

Jered Weaver (9-6) worked 5 2/3 innings for the win in the second game, allowing nine hits while striking out six. Chicago starter Scott Carroll (2-5) took the loss after pitching six-plus innings and giving up seven runs and 10 hits.

The Angels manufactured three second-inning runs on four straight singles and a fielder’s choice, including RBIs credited to Kendrick, C.J. Cron and Grant Green.

“You get yourself in trouble and put yourself in bad spots. It happened in both games,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “Especially with this lineup. You don’t want to put anybody on and give them extra chances.”

The White Sox got two back with Conor Gillaspie’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot that drove in Alexei Ramirez with no outs.

In the fifth, Calhoun stroked Carroll’s 1-0 pitch into the right-field bullpen, scoring Green for a 5-2 lead. Kendrick scored on Hank Conger’s sixth-inning single for a 6-2 lead.

The White Sox added three runs in the sixth as Gillaspie’s RBI single scored Ramirez, while Dayan Viciedo’s homer with one out brought home Gillaspie, cutting the deficit to 6-5.

In the seventh, Carroll left with two runners on and no outs. White Sox reliever Jake Petricka walked two batters, forcing in Calhoun for a 7-5 Angels lead.

In the first game, Trout hit a three-run homer, Pujols followed with No. 509 of his career and Garrett Richards allowed two hits in eight innings.

Josh Hamilton also homered for Los Angeles, his first since June 3.

Trout’s shot off starter Hector Noesi (2-6) evened the score at 3 in the fifth. Pujols put the Angels ahead with his 17th of the season, tying Gary Sheffield for 24th place on the career chart.

Jose Abreu hit his major league-leading 26th home run in the first to give Chicago a 3-0 cushion. Baltimore’s Nelson Cruz also has 26 homers.

Richards (9-2) quickly recovered and improved to 5-0 since May 30. He struck out nine, walked two and matched his longest outing of the season.

“I think I was the same pitcher from beginning to end,” Richards said. “I wasn’t going to let three runs in the first ruin my day.”

“(Richards) was great,” Ventura said. “We got him early when Jose (homered) in the first inning, but after that, we didn’t get many good swings against him. He had good stuff. “

Noesi didn’t allow a hit until the fifth, when Collin Cowgill beat out an infield single. He was pulled with no outs in the sixth and was charged with five earned runs and three hits. He walked seven and struck out seven.

NOTES: Ventura said LHP Chris Sale (7-1, 2.30 ERA) is a worthy All-Star candidate despite spending a month on the disabled list. “You’re looking at a guy at the top of his game,” Ventura said. “His numbers prove it.” … Abreu became the first player in MLB history with 26 home runs in his first 70 games. He also extended his hitting streak to 16 games, matching Ross Gload’s record 16-game run in 2004. … Pujols was in the lineup despite a swollen lymph gland near his right groin. “It shouldn’t be anything that’s going to impact what he needs to do,” Scioscia said. … The Angels acquired Rich Hill from Boston for cash earlier in the day. The left-hander had a 3.23 ERA in 25 relief appearances for Triple-A Pawtucket.

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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