Skip to main content

Marlins lose 3 in wasted weekend vs Mets

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — With the game tied at 1 in the fourth inning, Marlins manager Mike Redmond went with what he thought was solid strategy: walk the No. 8 batter to face the pitcher.

Even that didn’t go right in a miserable weekend in New York for Miami.

Jacob deGrom had a tiebreaking single and again shut down the Marlins with seven impressive innings, David Wright doubled twice and drove in two runs, and the Mets completed a three-game sweep with a 9-1 victory on Sunday.

“That just sort of sums up how things have been the last four or five days for us,” Redmond said. “Get behind the pitcher and lay one in there and he gets a hit, pretty much sums it up.”

The Marlins head into the All-Star break on a four-game skid. They have lost five of six and dropped behind the Mets into fourth place in the NL East for the first time since being tied with New York on May 4.

The blowout Sunday came a day after they wasted a late lead and lost 5-4.

Miami also lost starter Brad Hand to an injury. The lefty was knocked out of the game with a bruised right shin. He took a sharp grounder off the leg in the fourth and then was removed for a pinch-hitter in the fifth. He is day to day.

Hand yielded three runs and six hits, falling to 1-12 as a starter.

“It is pretty sore right now,” Hand said. “I mean it felt fine the rest of that inning but when I came in and sat down for a little bit, it did not feel very good after that.”

Wright, Curtis Granderson and Juan Lagares each had RBI doubles, and Chris Young added a sacrifice fly for New York in its eighth win on a 10-game homestand heading into the break.

Wright, Young, Lucas Duda and Anthony Recker each drove in a run with the bases loaded in the eighth, a situation the Mets have struggled in all season.

“These guys just stepped it up,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “You can say it, you can think it, but when you actually do it and have success doing it, it changes things.”

New York even benefited from a rare obstruction call for a run in the sixth inning.

DeGrom (3-5) wasn’t quite as sharp as he was when he pitched five-hit ball for seven innings in Miami for his first big league victory on June 21. Still, he had little trouble Sunday in his 12th career start, striking out eight and allowing five hits and a run.

He also produced at the plate.

A .273 hitter (6 for 22) coming in who has batted eighth in the lineup, deGrom got his first big league RBI after Hand (0-2) intentionally walked Ruben Tejada to face the lanky former college shortstop. DeGrom lined a single to center for a 2-1 lead.

“I walked a guy to get to the pitcher,” Hand said. “Thought I could get that guy. Just didn’t work out.”

The Mets were already leading 4-1 when Granderson, who had three hits, a walk and an RBI, led off the sixth with a single.

An out later, Wright hit a sharp grounder over third base. Rounding second, Granderson slightly altered his path to avoid second baseman Ed Lucas. Second base umpire Will Little immediately pointed at Lucas to indicate obstruction.

Granderson raced home but was called out on a close tag play at the plate. Before Collins could post an argument about the out call, Little came in and emphatically gestured toward second base then gave a sweeping safe sign.

“It did not look like he interfered with him to me,” Redmond said. “I mean Granderson is a pretty fast guy, I do not know if I have ever seen that called.”

The Marlins tied it in the fourth thanks to some help from Eric Campbell, who misplayed a fly to medium right field in his first major league start at second base into a double for Garrett Jones.

Marcell Ozuna then beat out an infield single to shortstop for a run.

NOTES: RHP Nathan Eovaldi will likely start the first game for the Marlins against San Francisco in Miami. … The Mets will use RHPs Bartolo Colon, Dillon Gee and Zack Wheeler in the first three games after the break, at San Diego. The rest of the rotation will depend on the health of several pitchers, one being Jonathon Niese. The left-hander threw off the mound for the first time since going on the DL on July 6 with a shoulder strain.

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