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Teheran, Braves beat Mets 3-1 to complete sweep

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — There was no way Julio Teheran was leaving the game after Eric Campbell’s liner hit his right leg and bounced toward third base in the fourth inning.

Teheran was determined to pitch through the pain, especially after the Braves gave him three runs in the first.

Chris Johnson hit a three-run double, Teheran overcame the injury scare to pitch seven strong innings and Atlanta beat the New York Mets 3-1 Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

The Braves extended their season-best winning streak to seven games, but perhaps the best news was that Teheran wasn’t hurt. Atlanta, which placed catcher Evan Gattis on the 15-day disabled list this week with a bulging disk in his back, couldn’t afford another key injury as it battles Washington for the NL East lead.

Teheran said his lower right leg was “burning” after he was struck by the liner.

“I wanted to stay in the game so bad,” Teheran said.

With manager Fredi Gonzalez and assistant trainer Jim Lovell watching from behind the mound, Teheran tested the leg with a few throws to the plate and stayed in.

Teheran (8-5) gave up four hits and three walks while lowering his ERA to 2.29.

“He gave us a great outing,” Gonzalez said. “The last two innings, it was a gut check. He got himself in trouble and made some great pitches.”

Jordan Walden pitched a perfect ninth for his third save as closer Craig Kimbrel received a night off.

The Mets have lost four straight and seven of their last eight games and are a season-worst 11 games below .500. They hope to have David Wright is back in the lineup when they open a home series against Texas on Friday night. Wright remained in New York this week to receive treatment for his bruised left rotator cuff.

“Obviously we miss David’s bat in the lineup, there’s no doubt,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “We competed as good as we can compete.”

The Braves remain a half-game ahead of Washington.

Atlanta’s winning streak includes a four-game sweep at Philadelphia and its first sweep of the Mets since September 2012 at New York. The seven-game streak is Atlanta’s longest since 14 straight from July 26-Aug. 7 last season.

New York rookie Jacob deGrom (1-5) again battled his season-long control problems in a long first inning.

The Braves, helped by two walks from deGrom, loaded the bases with no outs in the first. Atlanta was in danger of wasting the opportunity before Johnson lined the three-run double past Campbell at third base with two outs.

After throwing 37 pitches in the first, deGrom didn’t walk another batter or allow another run. He gave up three runs on six hits in five innings.

“That first inning got me,” deGrom said. “I think I was a little amped up, just trying to maybe overthrow it a little bit in the first. To recover from that was good. I wanted to at least get to five (innings).”

Eric Young Jr. singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Curtis Granderson’s fly ball to left field in the fourth inning. Young reached on another single in the sixth before being picked off first base by Teheran.

Teheran gave up a single to Juan Lagares and walked Granderson before striking out Campbell to end the sixth.

Lagares had a one-out single off Anthony Vavaro in the eighth. Daniel Murphy hit a sharp grounder toward second base that Tommy La Stella caught while diving toward the bag. While on the ground, La Stella flipped the ball to Andrelton Simmons for the force out at second.

La Stella started after leaving Tuesday night’s game with a right foot that was bruised when he was hit by a pitch.

NOTES: Gonzalez said the team will have a better estimate on a recovery period for Gattis when the success of Tuesday’s epidural can be evaluated in about four days. Gonzalez said he has “not even entertained” the thought of Gattis playing left field when he returns to possibly take pressure off his back. … The first-pitch temperature was 91 degrees, and Braves were allowed to report later than normal and take batting practice in the indoor cage “to let their bodies recharge a little bit.” … Both teams are off Thursday. The Mets open a home series against Texas on Friday night, and the Braves’ homestand continues with a weekend series against Arizona.

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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