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Castro, Carter lead Astros over Boston 3-2

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Jake Peavy refuses to blame his career-high eight-game losing streak on lack of offensive support despite Boston averaging just 1.5 runs a game in those starts.

“It’s just finding a way to win on my day,” he said after Boston’s 3-2 loss to Houston on Saturday. “I’ve pitched in tight games my whole career, and I’ve been able to win. I’ve got to find a way to get better.”

Jason Castro hit a two-run homer and Chris Carter had a tiebreaking infield single in the eighth inning to give the Astros the victory.

Jose Altuve doubled to open the eighth and chase Peavy (1-8). Altuve advanced to third on a groundout before George Springer was intentionally walked and Jon Singleton struck out.

Carter then hit a grounder off Junichi Tazawa to shortstop Brock Holt. Springer just beat Holt’s throw to second in a force attempt, allowing Altuve to score.

Peavy allowed six hits and three runs with a season-high nine strikeouts in seven-plus innings. He hasn’t won since April 25.

“The way he’s pitched isn’t reflected in his won-loss record,” manager John Farrell said. “He can only control so much, and what he was able to control (Saturday), he was outstanding at, and that was leaving guys in scoring position.”

Catcher David Ross lamented that they weren’t able to do more to help Peavy get the win on Saturday.

“He did a great job,” Ross said. “We just didn’t score enough runs for him.”

Josh Fields (2-4) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings for the win and Chad Qualls got two outs for his 10th save. The Astros turned a double play to end the game and Boston challenged the play at first, but it was upheld.

Castro gave Houston an early lead with his home run in the third inning before David Ortiz cut it to 2-1 with a shot in the fourth. He has now hit at least 20 homers in 13 straight seasons.

The Red Sox tied it on a sacrifice fly by Dustin Pedroia in the seventh.

Houston starter Brett Oberholtzer allowed two runs and tied a season high with 11 hits in 6 1-3 innings. He was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game for his fourth stint with the Astros this season.

Carter, who homered twice on Friday night, extended his career-best hitting-streak to eight games and has six homers and 10 RBIs in that span. Altuve finished with two hits and leads the majors with 130.

Altuve doubled with two outs in the third inning before Castro’s homer to right field, which sailed just out of reach of leaping right fielder Mookie Betts and into the seats, gave Houston a 2-0 lead.

Ortiz sent the first pitch of the fourth inning several rows back into the seats in right field to get Boston within one.

Jackie Bradley Jr. singled to start the fifth inning before consecutive singles by Holt and Pedroia loaded the bases with one out. Oberholtzer escaped the jam when Ortiz grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Castro hit a leadoff triple in the sixth inning, but Houston came away empty-handed when Springer grounded out followed by back-to-back strikeouts by Singleton and Carter.

Bradley and Betts hit back to back singles to start the seventh before Oberholtzer was replaced by Fields with one out.

Pedroia’s sacrifice fly came next to tie it before Houston intentionally walked Ortiz. Fields limited the damage by striking out Mike Napoli.

NOTES: Houston placed RHP Collin McHugh on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 7 with a problem with a nail on his middle finger to make room on the roster for Oberholtzer. … Houston OF Dexter Fowler, on the disabled list with a back strain, said Saturday that he is doing better, but isn’t sure when he’ll be ready to play again. “You don’t want to get it flared back up and then you’ll miss more time,” he said. “So just … relax and try to get it healed.”

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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