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Big hits off bench lift Mets over Marlins 5-4

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Step by step, the improving New York Mets are building momentum for the second half.

Chris Young and rookie Eric Campbell delivered big hits off the bench in the late innings to rally New York past the Miami Marlins 5-4 on Saturday.

Young’s pinch-hit, two-run homer off Bryan Morris tied it at 4 in the seventh. Campbell came through with a pinch-hit single in the eighth to put the Mets ahead.

“That might be the biggest win of the year right there for us,” manager Terry Collins said.

Daisuke Matsuzaka struck out 10 in six innings and New York (44-50) executed a perfect suicide squeeze, moving to 7-2 on a 10-game homestand that leads into the All-Star break.

Christian Yelich homered for the Marlins, who have lost four of five.

With two outs in the eighth, Travis d’Arnaud doubled off left-hander Mike Dunn (7-5). Campbell batted for Kirk Nieuwenhuis and poked a soft single into center to give the Mets their first lead.

“I just didn’t execute the pitch: 3-2 slider,” Dunn said. “Left it over the plate. Pretty much the only bad slider I threw all inning.”

Vic Black (2-2) worked a scoreless inning, and Jenrry Mejia got three quick outs for his 10th save. It is the third time the Mets have won seven games on a homestand at Citi Field, which opened in 2009.

All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy stretched high for a leaping grab that kept the game tied in the top of the eighth, eliciting a roar not heard very often at Citi Field lately. Many in the festive crowd of 35,283 stayed for a postgame concert by Huey Lewis and the News.

“I still can’t believe I saw that,” d’Arnaud said. “He could dunk, I think, with how high he jumped.”

With his days in the rotation probably numbered, as long as Jonathon Niese comes out of the All-Star break healthy, Matsuzaka had his fourth career double-digit strikeout game. The other three came with Boston in 2007, his first season in the majors.

“My slider was really good today, which contributed to those strikeouts, but I would rather have gone deeper in the game,” Matsuzaka said through a translator.

Marlins starter Tom Koehler, pitching about 12 miles from his New Rochelle hometown, tossed two-hit ball into the seventh and left with a 4-2 lead after a one-out walk to No. 8 batter Ruben Tejada.

Young was batting .195 before launching Morris’ first pitch into the left-field stands for his second career pinch-hit homer. The other came on June 27, 2012, with Arizona against Atlanta.

“Never have I given up. I always realized how many games are left, how much is still possible,” said Young, in his first season with the Mets after signing a $7.25 million, one-year contract. “The games ahead have nothing to do with the games that are past.”

Morris hadn’t allowed an earned run in 21 1-3 innings over 17 games with Miami since arriving from Pittsburgh on June 1 — the longest consecutive innings streak without yielding an earned run to begin a Marlins career.

“Stroke of lightning that C.Y. dropped on ’em right there,” Murphy said.

Garrett Jones and Marcell Ozuna hit consecutive RBI doubles in the sixth off Matsuzaka to put Miami ahead 4-2.

Adeiny Hechavarria hit a leadoff double in the Marlins third and scored when third baseman David Wright made an error on Donovan Solano’s RBI grounder. With two on, Matsuzaka limited the damage by striking out slumping slugger Giancarlo Stanton and Casey McGehee on sliders.

Yelich’s solo shot in the fifth cleared the right-center fence near the 390-foot sign. It was only the third home run this season off Matsuzaka, who has thrown 71 innings.

New York tied it 2-all in the bottom half after Yelich was slow to get back on Nieuwenhuis’ double at the left-field wall. Juan Lagares had an RBI groundout, and Nieuwenhuis dashed home on Tejada’s suicide squeeze.

“That was one we should’ve been able to lock down,” Miami manager Mike Redmond said. “We’ve had some struggles holding down a lead late in the game.”

NOTES: Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez was added to the NL All-Star roster as a replacement for injured Washington pitcher Jordan Zimmermann. … Collins said he might rest Murphy on Sunday before he heads to his first All-Star game. Campbell would probably start at second. … RHP Bartolo Colon will start for the Mets in San Diego after the break. RHP Dillon Gee will be ready for that series but the team isn’t counting on Niese (shoulder) that weekend, Collins said. Niese plans to throw Sunday and the Mets will wait to see how he’s feeling before scheduling his return from the disabled list. … New York rookie Jacob deGrom (2-5, 3.38 ERA) starts the series finale Sunday against LHP Brad Hand (0-1, 5.09).

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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