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Lincecum stays sharp, Giants blank D’backs

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tim Lincecum has been on such a roll over the past three weeks that even a matchup against longtime nemesis Paul Goldschmidt wasn’t enough to rattle the two-time NL Cy Young winner.

About the only thing to slow Lincecum down was a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

Lincecum extended his winning streak to four straight starts with another stellar outing, combining with two relievers on a five-hitter in San Francisco’s 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

“I just tried to make him as a batter, not too big,” Lincecum said. “I know he’s hurt me in the past … but if I stick to my game plan, things are going to turn out for the best. He’s that guy that I just need to bear down in the zone.”

Goldschmidt entered the game with a .577 career batting average against Lincecum and had already hit a pair of home runs off the Giants right-hander this season.

Lincecum got the better of Goldschmidt this time, holding the Arizona first baseman hitless in three plate appearances. Goldschmidt did get a hit, singling off reliever Juan Gutierrez in the ninth.

“His stuff the last few games has been really good,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He just is in a good rhythm out there and he’s throwing with a lot of confidence. He’s been on a good roll.”

Lincecum (9-5) allowed three hits over seven innings and fanned Gerardo Parra to end a two-on, two-out jam in the seventh. The owner of a no-hitter this season, Lincecum struck out six and walked two.

It is the first time Lincecum has won four consecutive starts since April 5-23, 2010. During his current streak, he has given up just one run over 30 1-3 innings — a remarkable 0.30 ERA.

Lincecum helped himself at the plate and recovered after stumbling over the bag while covering first base on Aaron Hill’s infield grounder for the final out in the third.

“My stuff isn’t as great as it used to be, but I still try to think that way and get guys out down in the zone,” Lincecum said. “I’m not afraid to throw any of (my) pitches in any situation. That confidence has kind of carried me through these outings.”

Gutierrez pitched 1 1-3 innings and Jeremy Affeldt got the final two outs to complete the shutout.

Pablo Sandoval homered and drove in three runs to break out of a slump that extended back to late June. The Giants third baseman, hitting just .222 over his previous 16 games, also had an RBI-double and an infield single.

San Francisco had lost 15 of its last 19 games at AT&T Park before jumping on Arizona starter Mike Bolsinger (1-6) for two runs in the first and two more in the second.

Sandoval got the Giants going with his 11th home run of the season, a two-run drive to right. San Francisco had hit just 14 home runs since June 8, the fewest in the majors, until Sandoval’s shot.

“That was nice to see, I’m not going to lie,” Bochy said. “To get some early run support, that makes life easier.”

Brandon Crawford’s RBI single in the second made it 3-0. Lincecum followed with a safety squeeze to drive in Joe Panik, who walked and took third on Crawford’s hit.

Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt opened the fifth with consecutive singles before Sandoval doubled down the left field line to extend the Giants’ lead to 5-0.

Bolsinger gave up five runs and eight hits over five innings. The Arizona rookie struck out five and walked two but is winless since April 24.

“He was leaving the ball up early and they hammered it,” Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero said. “These guys like to swing early and you have to make quality pitches out of the gate. He wasn’t able to do that.”

Before the game the Giants activated second baseman Marco Scutaro from the disabled list. The 38-year-old infielder, who played a pivotal role in San Francisco’s march toward the 2012 World Series championship, has not played this season because of a lower back strain.

The Diamondbacks welcomed back one of their key players but didn’t get the same spark. Outfielder Mark Trumbo, sidelined with a stress fracture in his left foot since April 21, went 1 for 4 and grounded out to third to end the game.

NOTES: Lincecum has pitched 27 consecutive scoreless innings at AT&T Park. … Montero was picked for the NL All-Star team as a replacement for injured St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina. … Goldschmidt has reached base safely in 31 straight games, matching his career high. … To make room for Trumbo, the Diamondbacks optioned OF Roger Kieschnick to Triple-A Reno. … LHP Wade Miley (4-6), Arizona’s starting pitcher on Saturday, has a 3.63 ERA in seven career games against San Francisco. … Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong (5-6) has lost his previous three starts. … San Francisco signed first-round draft pick Tyler Beede to a contract that includes a signing bonus of more than $2.6 million. Beede was the 14th overall pick in last month’s draft. … To make room for Scutaro, 2B Brandon Hicks was designated for assignment.

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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