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A’s swept by Tigers in matchup of division leaders

By WTOP Staff

DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland A’s still believe they have one of the best teams in baseball.

But a tough three-game sweep in Detroit — against the team that eliminated them from each of the last two postseasons — certainly dented the top record in the majors.

Coco Crisp led off the game with a long home run and Brandon Moss hit an ever farther homer later in the first inning off Justin Verlander, but the Athletics didn’t get much more in losing to the Tigers 9-3 Wednesday.

“We won three of four here last year during the regular season, but they turned the tide on us this time,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “This wasn’t a very good series for us — getting swept never feels too good.”

Detroit won this year’s season series 4-2, but with both teams leading their divisions, there’s a chance of a fourth October meeting since 2006.

“We do want to play them again this year,” Melvin said.

Verlander (7-7) won for the first time since May 30. He left after the sixth with a 9-2 lead.

“I didn’t make a big adjustment, I just got more into my rhythm,” he said. “My changeup wasn’t good, but I was able to throw my slider to lefties, where usually that’s just fastball and curve.”

If there is a third Detroit-Oakland matchup in October, the A’s won’t expect this version of Verlander.

“For guys like that, there is a regular-season version and a playoff version,” Moss said. “I guarantee you that when playoff time comes, he’s going to be dominant.”

Jesse Chavez (6-5) struggled for the second straight start, giving up five runs in five-plus innings. Reliever Jim Johnson replaced him and allowed four runs while only getting one out.

“We got the lead in the first, and I gave it back,” Chavez said. “That’s the biggest thing. As a starter, when you get the lead, you want to hang on to it.”

Torii Hunter hit three RBI singles for the Tigers. One of his hits capped a six-run burst in the sixth inning.

The big inning included a two-run single by Rajai Davis through a drawn-in infield. Davis, who played for Oakland from 2008-10, started Oakland’s rough series by hitting a game-ending grand slam to give the Tigers a 5-4 victory on Monday.

Near the end, the only suspense was whether Moss could get his cycle. Needing a triple, he hit an RBI single for his fourth hit of the game in the seventh and never got back to the plate.

NOTES: DH Yoenis Cespedes (hamstring) and C Derek Norris (back) both returned to the lineup for Oakland. … The A’s return home for a series with Toronto, with Sonny Gray (7-3) scheduled to face R.A. Dickey (6-7).

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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