Skip to main content

Rangers drop 7th in row in 5-2 loss to Angels

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Miles Mikolas got through five innings in his third start for the Texas Rangers with a lead against the highest-scoring team in the majors.

Like so many other newcomers and fill-ins on the injury-riddled Rangers roster, Mikolas still has plenty to learn at the major-league level.

Mikolas didn’t make it through the sixth and the Rangers lost 5-2 to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night. It was their seventh straight loss.

“I’ve got to do a better job keeping my focus and making those pitches into the sixth and seventh inning,” Mikolas said.

Howie Kendrick celebrated his 31st birthday with three hits, including a game-tying RBI single during a four-run sixth inning as the Angels won for the ninth time in 10 games. David Freese hit a go-ahead single and Hank Conger then had a two-run double off Mikolas (0-2).

“I thought he executed. Some pretty good hitters got him there in that sixth inning to get things going,” manager Ron Washington said. “You also have to stay out there and figure out a way to make pitches to minimize the damage.”

Mikolas struck out three and walked one in 5 2-3 innings.

The Rangers have dropped 21 of 24. They have the worst winning percentage in the majors, .404 with their 38-56 record.

Angels left fielder Collin Cowgill left the game with blood gushing from the bridge of his nose after he was struck in the face by a pitch when he squared to bunt in the eighth. He immediately put his hand over his face and started walking toward the dugout.

The Angels said he was alert and got stitches before being taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

“It was obviously an unfortunate turn of events there,” Scioscia said. “He’s going to obviously go for some tests.”

The pitch by Matt West went over the bat and appeared to hit Cowgill flush on the face. It wasn’t clear if the ball tipped off the bat before hitting Cowgill.

Jered Weaver (10-6) pitched seven strong innings five days after going only two innings his previous start because of tightness in his lower back. The big right-hander limited the Rangers to two runs and four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

The Angels ace noticed that there was no signal to the bullpen when manager Mike Scioscia was walking toward him in the seventh inning, with a runner on base and one out.

“Usually he kind of makes the call about halfway out to the mound, and didn’t do it this time, and I felt like he wanted to see how I was feeling,” Weaver said. “It was nice to be able to get those last two outs.”

Joe Smith got his 14th save in 18 chances with a perfect ninth. It was his ninth consecutive appearance of at least an inning without allowing a hit.

Texas led 2-0 in the second after Carlos Pena had a one-out double and Robinson Chirinos was hit by a pitch. No. 9 batter Rougned Odor hit an RBI double before Chirinos came home on a groundout by Shin-Soo Choo.

Conger reached on an error by Pena at first base to start the third. Conger scored on a sacrifice fly by Albert Pujols with the bases loaded, with rookie left fielder Jake Smolinski making a diving catch fully extended in the left-center field gap to prevent more runs from scoring.

That was an inning after Smolinski made a diving backhanded catch to take a hit away from Josh Hamilton.

“The game situation at the time was close,” Smolinski said. “It felt like momentum was going our direction at the time.”

NOTES: Rangers All-Star 3B Adrian Beltre’s 15-game hitting streak ended. He was 0 for 3 with a walk. … Eric Nadel, who will be honored at baseball’s Hall of Fame in two weeks for winning the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting, was recognized in a pregame ceremony. This is Nadel’s 20th year as the lead voice on Rangers radio broadcasts, and his 36th with the team. He was joined on the field by the broadcasters from the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars and presented a crystal microphone.

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