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King Felix crowns Oakland in Seattle’s 3-2 win

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Nick Punto tossed the bat and was already leaning toward first base, certain Oakland would get another chance in the ninth inning.

“I felt like I put myself in a pretty good position to get on base and keep the inning extended a bit,” Punto said. “It just didn’t work out.”

Punto was called out on strike three to close out Seattle’s 3-2 win over the Athletics on Friday night with the tying run at third base, leaving the A’s second baseman and manager Bob Melvin incensed at the call made by home plate umpire James Hoye.

Punto slammed his batting helmet to the ground with both hands and argued. Melvin quickly joined in, saying the full-count pitch from Seattle closer Fernando Rodney missed the strike zone. Instead of another at bat with runners at the corners, Derek Norris was left standing at third as the A’s lost for just the second time in nine games and Rodney celebrated his 27th save.

“Just look at it … a tough way to end the game,” Melvin said.

Prior to the ninth, the night was all about the starters. Oakland’s Jeff Samardzija pitched well in his second start with the A’s, throwing eight innings and giving up just five hits.

But he was outpitched by Seattle ace Felix Hernandez and his eight strong innings to pick up his 11th victory before the All-Star break for the first time in his career. Hernandez made his 11th straight start going at least seven innings and giving up two earned runs or less. It’s the longest streak for an American League pitcher since Gaylord Perry had 11 straight for Cleveland in 1974.

He also made a strong final pitch to be the starter for the American League at Tuesday’s All-Star game.

“An honor. I would love to do it,” Hernandez said. “We’ll see.”

Samardzija is 1-1 with Oakland after going 2-7 for the Chicago Cubs.

Robinson Cano provided the go-ahead hit in the sixth inning. James Jones doubled with two outs in the sixth and Cano followed with a flare that landed inches fair down the left-field line to break a 2-all tie.

“I wasn’t giving him much there,” Samardzija said. “He was aggressive early and put the bat on the ball.”

Oakland got to Hernandez for a pair of rare first-inning runs.

Stephen Vogt’s solo homer was just the sixth allowed by Hernandez this season, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Josh Donaldson followed with a double and scored on Jed Lowrie’s single that sneaked through the infield.

Hernandez had given up three first-inning runs all season.

But after Lowrie’s single, Hernandez permitted just four baserunners. He struck out the side in the fourth and sixth inning and needed just five pitches to cruise through the seventh.

“I was locked in. I was throwing a lot of strikes,” Hernandez said. “After that everything was working.”

Hernandez found himself in a jam in the fifth with runners on the corners and two outs, but Donaldson flied out.

After Vogt led off the eighth with a single, Donaldson grounded into a double play, drawing a fist pump and scream from Hernandez. He then got Brandon Moss to ground out on his 101st pitch to end the eighth and his night.

“Typically with good pitchers you get them before they get in the rhythm,” Melvin said. “But we couldn’t do anything after.”

Seattle chipped away at Samardzija, starting with Logan Morrison’s homer leading off the second. Seattle pulled even in the third when Brad Miller doubled, advanced to third on Mike Zunino’s groundout and scored on Endy Chavez’s sacrifice fly.

“There’s a couple of pitches I would like to have back for sure,” Samardzija said.

NOTES: Hernandez won 10 games before the All-Star break in 2009 and 2013. … Oakland 1B Alberto Callaspo left the game in the second inning after straining his right hamstring running out a ground ball. … Oakland OF Coco Crisp was out of Friday’s lineup with a sore neck and Melvin unsure of his availability for the series. … Seattle had been 2 for 35 with runners in scoring position prior to Cano’s double.

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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