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Morse homers but Giants lose 6th straight

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — It’s been quite some time since Giants manager Bruce Bochy heard booing from the home crowd at AT&T Park.

With his club struggling to pull itself out of a deepening funk at the waterfront stadium, the sounds of discontent are growing louder with each game.

Mike Morse hit his 15th home run of the season but that was about all that San Francisco could muster in a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

The Giants have dropped all five games on this current six-game homestand and have lost six consecutive games overall.

Still, it was surprising when a chorus of boos rained down midway through the game.

“The fans … they’re frustrated too,” Bochy said. “You play so well over so long — it’s turned around. I’m sure it’s not easy for them, either. But you can’t be concerned with what’s happening there. You have to do it on the field.”

San Francisco hasn’t done much in its first homestand since the All-Star break.

The Giants have scored five runs over the past five games, with just four extra-base hits.

Morse provided the only highlight when he homered off Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano leading off the second. Beyond that, San Francisco managed a double and four singles.

“We just have to get on a roll again,” said catcher Buster Posey, who had three of the hits. “You have to pitch well, play good defense and hit well. Not even joking — it’s simple. I think sometimes we try and make it hard than what it is.”

Liriano struck out a season-high 11 in seven innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season while Josh Harrison and Travis Snider both hit home runs for the Pirates, who moved within one game of first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central.

A former minor league prospect for the Giants, Liriano (3-7) gave up a home run to Mike Morse but was otherwise stellar while leading the surging Pirates to their eighth win in 11 games. The left-hander allowed four hits, walked one and retired 18 of the final 21 hitters he faced.

Harrison hit a 3-2 pitch from Giants starter Tim Hudson off the facing of the brick wall in right field for his first career leadoff home run. Harrison is hitting .583 (7 for 12) with a double and three home runs over his past three games.

Hudson (8-8) allowed six hits over seven innings and took his sixth loss in the last eight starts.

“We have to keep grinding out and try and get things going in the right direction,” Hudson said. “It’s been tough here as of late. It’s never easy to climb out of a hole.”

NUMBERS

The Pirates have won 17 consecutive games when scoring first. … The Giants have lost eight of their last nine series at AT&T Park. … Posey hadn’t had a multi-hit game at home since June 26. … Hudson is 1-6 with a 4.32 ERA over his past eight starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Outfielder Starling Marte ran the bases but has not yet been cleared to play after being placed on the 7-day concussion list. Marte is eligible to come off the DL on Wednesday but no move is expected.

Giants: Right-hander Matt Cain plans to meet with specialist Dr. James Andrews this week to get a second opinion on his injured elbow. Bochy said the move is precautionary and that surgery has not yet been discussed.

ON DECK

Tim Lincecum (9-7) pitches the finale for the Giants on Wednesday. Charlie Morton (5-10) goes for the Pirates.

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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