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Feldman tosses complete game, Astros beat Jays 6-1

By WTOP Staff

HOUSTON (AP) — Scott Feldman didn’t get frustrated after allowing six hits in the first three innings Sunday.

He kept attacking, and it paid off.

Feldman scattered eight hits in his first complete game in nearly a year, Chris Carter and Matt Dominguez each had two RBIs, and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 on Sunday.

Feldman (5-8) retired 17 of the last 19 batters, including nine straight at one point, and won for the first time since June 29. It was his first complete game since Sept. 6, 2013, against the White Sox.

“I was just trying to battle through it,” Feldman said. “Once I got that double play with the bases loaded in the third, I felt like I got into a better groove.”

Houston manager Bo Porter said Feldman was outstanding and looked like he did in April, when he went 2-1 with 1.69 ERA.

“The cutter was really working. He was able to get in on the lefties and just had that late life to his fastball,” Porter said. “He was sinking it away and did a really good job today.”

Carter’s two-run single in the third gave the Astros the lead.

“I was thinking to get a ball up there in the zone and put it in play and not strike out there with the bases loaded,” Carter said.

Dominguez had an RBI single as part of a three-run fourth and added a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Dominguez, Jon Singleton and Jake Marisnick each had two hits as Houston won its fifth in the last seven games and third straight against Toronto.

Marcus Stroman (7-3) allowed five runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. He had allowed one run in 21 innings over his last three starts.

“I just didn’t have my stuff,” Stroman said. “I had trouble putting guys away. It was just a tough one, but I’m not discouraged.”

Dominguez and Marisnick hit RBI singles in the fourth to chase Stroman. Robbie Grossman drew a bases-loaded walk off Todd Redmond later in the fourth to make it 5-1.

Jose Reyes had three hits for Toronto. He remained in the game after sliding head first into second in the first inning and appearing to hurt his right shoulder on the play.

Ryan Goins’ RBI single in the second put Toronto up 1-0.

“We’ve been playing good baseball,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “The last three games didn’t go our way, and we got outplayed, pure and simple.”

ON DECK:

Blue Jays: Toronto is off Monday before returning home to start a three-game series against division rival Baltimore on Tuesday. Lefty Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.11) will start Tuesday for the Blue Jays.

Astros: Houston is also off Monday before traveling to Philadelphia for a three-game interleague series. Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (10-7, 2.97) will start Tuesday for the Astros.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: Infielder Brett Lawrie, who has been on the disabled list since June 23 with a fractured right index finger, will continue a rehab assignment at Single A Dunedin. Lawrie went 2 for 3 hitting leadoff Saturday night and played third base after starting at second base Friday night.

Astros: Infielder Jesus Guzman was placed on the 15-day disabled list with back spasms, and the Astros promoted outfielder Domingo Santana from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday. .. Outfielder George Springer, who has been on the disabled since July 20, will start a rehab assignment Monday at Single A Quad Cities.

CABRERA’S STREAK SNAPPED

Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera had his hitting streak snapped at 10 games after going 0 for 4. Cabrera, who ranks second in the majors with 142 hits and is third in multihit games with 41, has a hit in 89 of 112 games this year.

SINGLETON HEATING UP

Singleton recorded his second straight multihit game and is 7 for 15 in his last three starts. Of the rookie’s 36 hits this season, 19 have been for extra bases.

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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