Skip to main content

Colon hit hard, win No. 200 has to wait

By WTOP Staff

RICK FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Bartolo Colon tossed the ball in the air gently, waiting for Mets manager Terry Collins to get to the mound.

He was about to be removed from the game in the fifth inning after allowing six runs to the San Francisco Giants. One win away from career win No. 200, the 41-year-old right-hander wouldn’t be celebrating on Sunday.

By the time the Giants finished beating the Mets 9-0, Colon said, he had put the whole thing out of his mind.

“Once they pull me out of the game I am done, I do not think about it anymore I just start thinking about my next start,” he said through an translator. “Felt really good the first two innings, I do not really know what happened after that.”

Hunter Pence hit the first of his two homers off Colon, and Brandon Belt also took Colon deep. Madison Bumgarner pitched a two-hitter for his second career shutout.

“When you run into performances like this, whether you are going well offensively or not when you run into a buzzsaw like that you just have to tip your cap,” David Wright said. “It is almost better that Bart had one of these days because the offense was not doing anything.”

Colon debuted in 1997 for the Cleveland Indians, and has since played for the Expos, White Sox, Angels, Red Sox, White Sox again, then missed 2010 to an injury before a year with the Yankees and two with the Athletics before joining the Mets.

Colon allowed eight hits in 4 2-3 innings. Colon (10-9) started to look eminently hittable in the three-run fifth inning. Pence’s two-run shot in the third was a line drive that went off the railing above the moved-in fence in left field. Belt hit a fly to right that tucked in just over the fence and inside the pole for a 3-0 lead.

Bumgarner, who was seven years old when Colon debuted, took care of the rest, postponing Colon’s milestone.

“It is very important for me,” Colon said. “I want to be in the same club as Pedro.”

Pedro Martinez, another Dominican right-hander who played for the Mets in the twilight of his career was the second Dominican-born pitcher to get 200 wins, after Juan Marichal. That next start Colon was thinking about will probably be Friday against the Phillies.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: OF Angel Pagan (back) was set to continue his rehab assignment with a move to Triple-A Fresno, where the organization hopes to get him in games Monday and Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Giants: Right-hander Tim Hudson (8-8) has a 1.77 ERA in his three starts since the All-Star break. He had a no-decision against the Mets earlier this season in San Francisco in a game the Giants won 5-4 on June 7.

Mets: Righty Dillon Gee (4-4) makes his fifth career start against the Giants, against whom he has a 6.75 ERA and 0-1 record.

BARTOLO AT THE BAT

Fans could be heard groaning in disappointment for all three of Colon’s swing-and-misses during his third-inning at bat, but applauded his effort as he returned to the dugout.

BACK IN BASH

The Giants entered Sunday’s game with two home runs in their past 10 games, but added four against New York pitching. Pence hit Nos. 14 and 15 this season, while Posey’s was his 13th and Belt hit his 11th.

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
Read Next Story

Related Stories

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote