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Petit’s homer leads Astros over Blue Jays, 3-1

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — Toronto’s Aaron Loup is normally a ground ball pitcher.

That certainly wasn’t the case on Friday night.

Loup gave up a homer and a double on his first two pitches to allow the Astros to break a tie and get a 3-1 win.

Gregorio Petit’s first career home run put Houston on top in the eighth inning and the Astros held on for the victory, snapping Toronto’s six-game winning streak.

Petit launched Loup’s first pitch into the first row of the Crawford Boxes in left field to give the Astros the lead. Jose Altuve connected on the next pitch by Loup (3-3) for a ground-rule double before stealing third base.

Houston got an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Robbie Grossman that ended Loup’s night.

“When was the last time you’ve seen three balls barreled off Loup in a row? He’s a ground ball guy but he didn’t get any ground balls,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.

Loup wasn’t sure why he struggled.

“I threw two pitches and the next thing you know I give up a home run and a double,” he said. “I guess it just wasn’t my day today.”

Jose Veras (1-1) got the last two outs of the eighth inning for the win and Chad Qualls threw a scoreless ninth for his 12th save.

Melky Cabrera singled with one out in the first and reached third on a single by Jose Bautista that crashed off the wall in left field and knocked a number out of the scoreboard there. The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Dioner Navarro.

Toronto starter J.A. Happ gave up three hits and one run with six strikeouts in seven innings.

Happ retired the first 11 batters he faced before Chris Carter singled on a dribbler with two outs in the fourth inning. Matt Dominguez drew a walk before Carter scored on a single by Guzman to tie it at 1-1.

Houston starter Collin McHugh did not factor into the decision after allowing five hits and a run in 6 1-3 innings to remain winless since June 3.

Jake Marisnick, acquired Thursday from the Marlins as part of a six-player deal that sent right-hander Jarred Cosart to Miami, went 0 for 3 in his Houston debut.

MOUND WORK

The game was delayed in the third inning when the Astros complained about the mound being too soft. Three members of the grounds crew came onto the field with rakes and other tools and worked on it for several minutes.

McHugh threw a few warmups pitches after they finished and the crowd cheered as the workers walked off the field and the game continued.

SPELLING TEST?

The Astros had a bit of fun teasing rookie pitcher Mike Foltynewicz about his difficult to spell last name on his first day in the clubhouse after being called up from Triple-A on Friday. They used tape to spell his name phonetically (Fultynevichz) and affix it to the nameplate above his locker. He got a good laugh out of the ribbing and said there’s no trick he can give them to help make spelling it easier. “I had trouble when I was younger, too,” he said. “I don’t think anybody’s going to really get it right … they can just keep it nice and short and call me Folty.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: Infielder Brett Lawrie (broken right index finger) began a rehabilitation assignment with Class A Dunedin on Friday. Gibbons said he will probably need at least a week of rehab games before he’s ready to return to the team.

Astros: Rookie OF George Springer, on the disabled list since July 20 with strained left quadriceps, is inching closer to his return. “He’s taking batting practice,” manager Bo Porter said. “He was able to do the outfield work (Friday). So we’re pretty excited that he’s coming along well.”

Guzman left the game after the fourth inning with back spasms. He was replaced at 1B by Jon Singleton.

ON DECK

Toronto’s R.A. Dickey looks for his third straight win when he opposes left-hander Brett Oberholtzer when the series continues on Saturday. Oberholtzer is coming off a win over the A’s when he allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings.

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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