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Qualls blows lead in 9th, Astros lose to A’s 7-4

By WTOP Staff

HOUSTON (AP) — With his name frequently mentioned as the trade deadline approaches, Houston Astros closer Chad Qualls had his worst outing of the season.

Qualls blew a three-run lead, slumping Brandon Moss then hit a go-ahead single during a six-run rally in the ninth inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Houston Astros 7-4 Tuesday night.

Houston led 4-1 before pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo had a two-run single off Qualls (1-2). After Houston couldn’t turn a potential game-ending double play on John Jaso’s grounder, Jed Lowrie walked and Yoenis Cespedes tied it with a single.

“You’ve been throwing the ball well for quite some time so your expectations are really high,” Qualls said. “When an inning like that happens, you let your team down and you don’t feel good.”

Brandon Moss ended an 0-for-14 rut with an RBI single off Tony Sipp and then Josh Donaldson hit a two-run double off Jose Veras.

Qualls has now allowed runs in two straight outings for the first time since the opening week of the season after previously making 31 of 33 appearances without allowing an earned run. Qualls’ blown save was his third in 14 save opportunities and first since June 12.

“I don’t want to say they got lucky because, obviously, that’s not the case,” Qualls said. “But they just found some holes when they needed to and hit the ball on the screws when they needed to. I just didn’t get it done.”

Marwin Gonzalez homered off the left field foul pole in the first to give the Astros a lead. Enrique Hernandez had an RBI triple as part of a two-run fifth and an RBI double in seventh to give the Astros the 4-1 lead.

“Any time you lose games in the eighth or ninth inning, those are tough games to lose,” Houston manager Bo Porter said. “We were in position to win the ballgame and just were not able to close it out.”

Astros starter Scott Feldman allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He rebounded after one of his worst outings of the season Thursday at Oakland in which he gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings.

“It was better than the last one, obviously,” Feldman said. “That lineup over there has given me a tough time my whole career, even when they weren’t as good.”

A’s starter Jeff Samardzija gave up four runs and six hits with seven strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Outfielder Coco Crisp, who has missed the last two games with a neck strain, had an MRI done on his neck Monday. The exam showed no changes, A’s manager Bob Melvin said.

Astros: Outfielder George Springer, who has been on the disabled list since July 20 with a right quad strain, took batting practice Tuesday. “It’s big to be out here and just to get some swings,” Springer said.

ON DECK

Right-hander Jason Hammel will try to get his first win with the A’s after going 0-3 with a 7.11 ERA in his first three starts since being acquired July 5 from the Cubs. Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel, who is 9-7 with a 3.11 ERA, will try to follow up a solid outing in a 2-0 loss to Miami in the final game of the three-game series Wednesday.

ONE STREAK CONTINUED, ONE SNAPPED

Houston second baseman Jose Altuve extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his RBI single in the fifth. The hitting streak is Altuve’s second-longest of the season after a 12-game hitting streak from May 8-21. Astros outfielder Robbie Grossman was 0 for his last 13 before a single in the fifth.

OAKLAND NEVER OUT OF IT

The win Tuesday was the A’s sixth this season when trailing after eight innings and was the second time the A’s scored at least six runs in the ninth this year. Oakland scored seven runs in the top of the ninth on April 25, also at Houston.

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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