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Singleton has inside-the-park HR, Astros beat Jays

By WTOP Staff

HOUSTON (AP) — Ask his manager, and it’s been Brett Oberholtzer’s confidence and maturity that has made a difference for him on the mound.

On Saturday night, Oberholtzer had two other things going for him — aggressive base running and hard hitting by his Houston Astros teammates.

Jon Singleton wound up with an inside-the-park home run after a call was reversed on video replay, and Chris Carter and Jason Castro also homered as the Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2.

Oberholtzer pitched seven strong innings, and Jose Altuve scored the go-ahead run on consecutive throwing errors by Toronto.

“Great all-around team win,” Oberholtzer said. “It was fun to be part of and to watch. Arguably one of the better games we’ve played all around.”

Singleton drove in L.J. Hoes in the eighth inning before getting called out on the tag at home plate. The Astros appealed the call and had it reversed upon review.

“I turned the burners on. I said ‘I got to go,'” Singleton said of seeing the ball bounce off the wall in center field as Toronto’s Anthony Gose slipped on the turf. “I just kept running.”

The Astros have homered in nine consecutive games. They led the American League in home runs in July with 32.

Oberholtzer (4-7) gave up two runs and six hits while striking out five and walking one to win his second consecutive start. He retired his last 10 batters.

“To see him be able to not only make those pitches but make them with confidence, lets me know that he has taken a huge step forward as a major leaguer,” Astros manager Bo Porter said.

R.A. Dickey (9-11) was tagged for five runs and nine hits over seven-plus innings. He struck out three. It was Dickey’s first loss since July 18 after winning his previous two starts.

Nolan Reimold and Jose Bautista drove in a run each for the Blue Jays, who left seven on base and were 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

Altuve scored the tiebreaking run in the fifth. He singled on a line drive to center. He bolted toward second and third after a botched pickoff attempt by Dickey and came home after third baseman Steve Tolleson failed to secure Danny Valencia’s errant throw.

“That’s a base stealer,” Dickey said of Altuve. “I am trying to pick him off. Unfortunately, the throw was up the line just a tad.”

Carter homered off Dickey later in the fifth.

Castro hit a two-run homer off reliever Brett Cecil in the eighth inning. Hoes followed with a single before Singleton hit his 10th homer of the season off a deep fly ball to center.

“Today was one of those days we can definitely build off of and remember,” Singleton said. “We all played well. We made plays on defense and offense.”

STRONG DEBUT

Astros right-hander Mike Foltynewicz made his major league debut, pitching 2-3 of an inning and striking out Bautista.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Foltynewicz said. “They called down in the seventh inning and said ‘You’ve got the eighth,’ and the heart went into my stomach.”

He left to loud applause after treating fans to pitches in the high 90s.

GREAT OUTDOORS

Fans in attendance at Minute Maid Park were treated to a rare experience — outdoor baseball in Houston in August. The game was the first since 2004 to be played with the roof open in August.

Dickey said the open roof did affect his knuckleball.

“It was hot and humid, but I was fine,” he said. “I had a fine knuckleball.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: Infielder Brett Lawrie (broken right index finger) continued his rehab assignment with Class-A Dunedin on Saturday night, playing third base. Lawrie fractured the finger June 22. He began his assignment Friday.

Astros: Infielder Marwin Gonzalez (right hamstring) is expected to see action Sunday for the first time since July 29. With the Astros having a day off Monday, Porter decided to give Gonzalez an extra day. “He could have played today,” he said. . Jesus Guzman, who left Friday’s game with back spasms, underwent chest X-rays, which came back negative. Porter said Guzman will undergo more tests in the coming days.

ON DECK

Blue Jays rookie right-hander Marcus Stroman (7-2, 3.03) looks to continue his hot streak Sunday, opposite right-hander Scott Feldman (4-8, 4.39 ERA), who aims for his first win since June 29. Stroman has won his last three starts, allowing just one run in that span.

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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