Skip to main content

Marlins squander 2 leads in 5-4 loss to Mets

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Slumping slugger Giancarlo Stanton and the Miami Marlins are limping toward the All-Star break.

Chris Young and rookie Eric Campbell delivered big hits off the bench in the late innings to rally the New York Mets past Miami 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 against left-hander Mike Dunn (7-5) in the eighth to put the Mets ahead.

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

Daisuke Matsuzaka struck out 10 in six innings and New York executed a perfect suicide squeeze, improving to 7-2 on a 10-game homestand that leads into the All-Star break. A loss Sunday would drop Miami behind the Mets and into fourth place in the NL East.

Christian Yelich homered for the Marlins, who have lost four of five. Stanton went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and is 1 for 18 with nine Ks in his last five games.

“I think some (guys) are worried about the All-Star break,” said Stanton, a reserve on the National League roster for Tuesday night’s showcase. “Some are at that point in the season. So we play one more, take the break for what it is. Just get away from baseball for a little bit. That’s what the team will probably need.”

With two outs in the eighth, Travis d’Arnaud doubled off Dunn. 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 eighth, and Jenrry Mejia got three quick outs for his 10th save.

All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy stretched high for a leaping grab that kept the game tied in the top of the eighth.

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

Matsuzaka had his fourth career double-digit strikeout game. The other three came with Boston in 2007, his first season in the majors.

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.

“Got to give yourself a chance to get an out there. Obviously, that led to me having to be taken out of the game. It’s something that just can’t happen,” Koehler said. “I’ve got to keep attacking hitters. A lot of times I give up runs because I put myself and the team in situations that allows them to capitalize on things. I expect more of myself. That’s why games like today are frustrating.”

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.

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 had a leadoff double in the third and scored when Mets third baseman David Wright made an error on Donovan Solano’s RBI grounder. With two on, Matsuzaka limited the damage by striking out 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 might be the biggest win of the year right there for us,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

NOTES: Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez was added to the NL All-Star roster as a replacement for injured Washington pitcher Jordan Zimmermann. … Redmond said RHP Nathan Eovaldi will probably start the first game after the All-Star break Friday against San Francisco. The rest of the rotation, however, could depend on whether Alvarez pitches in the All-Star game. … 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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote