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Mets relievers falter in 4-3 loss to Giants

By WTOP Staff

DOUG GOULD
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — There was a lengthy era in New York Mets history when their fans would dread the opening of the bullpen door. Over the past few months, though, it’s become a welcome and reassuring sight with relievers shutting down opponents.

But an unsettling image of past failures echoed at Citi Field on Monday when both Jeurys Familia and closer Jenrry Mejia surrendered key runs that cost the Mets a 4-3 decision to the San Francisco Giants.

Familia, who had gone 13 straight relief appearances since June 30 without permitting an earned run, didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced in the seventh inning as the Giants scored the tying run.

Mejia, the Mets’ sixth pitcher of the afternoon, had allowed just one earned run since June 18 until he surrendered what proved to be the winning run in the ninth.

“I was real surprised,” Mets manager Terry Collins said after the pair couldn’t save it for starter Dillon Gee, who left with a 3-2 lead in the sixth.

“But we said, when you talked about how good they were pitching, that they’re not perfect, that there’s going to be a hiccup here and there. And today was that hiccup,” he said.

Familia was greeted by a triple by Hunter Pence that glanced off the glove of leaping left fielder Chris Young in a near-collision with center fielder Juan Lagares at the wall.

After Gregor Blanco walked, Familia threw a wild pitch that made it 3-all. Pablo Sandoval followed with a single, but Lagares nailed Blanco at the plate for the only out Familia got while on the mound.

Sandoval drove in three runs with three hits, and he tagged Mejia (5-4) in the ninth. Blanco singled with two outs and stole second and, after Buster Posey drew his fourth walk of the game, Sandoval sliced an RBI double that bounced into the seats along the left-field line.

San Francisco took three of four while the Mets dropped a home series for the first time since June 10-12 against Milwaukee.

“Not every day’s going to be good,” Mejia said. “They got Familia and they got me.”

Daniel Murphy hit a two-run homer in the first for the Mets and scored on David Wright’s infield single in the fifth for a 3-2 lead.

Collins wasn’t around to see the final two innings. He was tossed by home plate umpire Ben May after arguing balls and strikes in the seventh.

“I thought the ball to Dan (Murphy) was low, but the ball to Lucas (Duda) was quite obviously low,” Collins said. “And it’s one of the things you try to say, Hey this is a big part of the game here. These guys are paid to swing the bat. They don’t want to walk.’ If that pitch is that close, Lucas Duda would have been swinging. And that’s my version of it. Nicely.”

Sergio Romo (5-3) got the win with one scoreless inning and Santiago Casilla pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save.

NOT QUITE WRIGHT

Wright is 5 for 32 in his last eight games and has just one extra-base hit in the past 17.

“He said to me the other day, I know I’ve got to get it going,’ and he’s working at it,” Collins said before the game. “As I said before when he went into a slump earlier in the year, when they (stars) get out of it, big things happen. The one thing you’ve got to do is ride this thing out, and he’s going to fix it.”

CENTER OF ATTENTION

Lagares had a career-tying three hits, along with his assist throwing out Blanco at the plate. Lagares hit .440 (11 for 25) on the homestand.

CROSS TRAINING

New York Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. threw out the first pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Matt Harvey, who threw off a mound Friday at Citi Field for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last October, is scheduled to do the same Tuesday at the team’s spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

ON DECK

Mets: New York begins a three-game series Tuesday night in Washington. Mets righty Zack Wheeler (6-8, 3.60) faces Gio Gonzalez (6-7, 3.88). The Nats have won five of six meetings against the Mets this season. They meet 13 times in the final eight weeks.

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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