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Niese outpitched by Vogelsong in Mets’ loss

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — By manager Terry Collins’ count Jonathon Niese made three bad throws all night — two pitches that were hit for triples and one attempted toss to second base.

That’s all the support Ryan Vogelsong needed.

The San Francisco Giants’ right-hander held the New York Mets to two hits in a swift 5-1 win Friday night for his first nine-inning complete game.

“I think it was just a matter of when they did any damage, he just didn’t make the pitch he wanted to make,” Collins said. “Otherwise, I thought he threw the ball good.”

Niese (5-7) threw an efficient 87 pitches — 68 strikes — in eight-plus innings, nearly matching Vogelsong in the second-fastest game in the major leagues this year at 2 hours, 6 minutes. But Niese gave up nine hits and five runs — three earned.

Brandon Crawford had a run-scoring single, Matt Duffy an RBI single for his first big league hit and Hunter Pence added a two-run triple and RBI groundout off Niese for San Francisco, which won its second straight after six losses in a row.

The throw Niese regretted most, though, was to second base in the second inning.

Juan Perez led off with a double. Gregor Blanco then bounced back to Niese. The left-hander tried to nab Perez, who got caught off second, but he bounced the throw and Perez raced into third. Crawford followed with an RBI single and Pence drove in another with a grounder.

“It’s unfortunate, because that’s a situation where I can’t make a mistake, and I did,” Niese said. “Just made a mistake and paid for it, costing us runs and, ultimately, the game.”

Vogelsong (6-8) faced 28 batters, one over the limit, allowing Juan Lagares’ soft single leading off the sixth and Lucas’ Duda’s 20th homer to start the eighth. In ending a five-decision losing skid, he walked one and got two double plays. Vogelsong threw 102 pitches.

“My last month has been pretty tough,” Vogelsong said. “I just told myself it’s time to have a good last two months … and do my part to try to get us into the postseason. It’s a good start tonight.”

Pence tripled to right-center after Crawford tripled down the right field line and Vogelsong was hit by a pitch in the seventh. Pence was 4 for 33 coming in.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: Right-hander Matt Cain needs surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow. He still is not sure when he will have the operation but manager Bruce Bochy thinks the former ace is done for the season. Recovery is about three months.

Mets: Ace Matt Harvey threw off the mound for first time since having Tommy John surgery on Oct. 22. He made 15 pitches at about 60 percent effort. Harvey still is hoping for a possible return in late September. “I’m not writing 2014 out, but there’s still a lot more to go and a lot more to prove in order to be healthy enough to come back,” Harvey said.

UP NEXT

Giants: Right-hander Jake Peavy (0-1) will make his second start for San Francisco. Peavy has lost his last 10 decisions — nine with Boston — but has had success at Citi Field. He is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA against the Mets in Queens.

Mets: Right-hander Jacob deGrom (5-5) has won four straight starts. According to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, he is one of four rookie pitchers since 1982 to win four consecutive starts of six innings or more while allowing no more than one run. The others are Roy Oswalt, Jered Weaver and Cain.

12 FIRST BASEMEN WITH 20

Duda became the 12th Mets first baseman to reach 20 homers in a season. Ike Davis, whom New York traded to Pittsburgh after giving Duda the starting role, was the most recent in 2012.

DOUBLE BUMP

The Giants promoted Duffy and outfielder Jarrett Parker from Double-A Richmond to take the roster spots of Dan Uggla and Tyler Colvin, who were designated for assignment. Duffy started at second base and singled in a run in the seventh for his first career hit. He rounded first with a big grin as Pablo Sandoval, near the on-deck circle called for the ball. “I didn’t have as many nerves as I thought I would,” Duffy said.

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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