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Angels can’t hit, lose Freeway Series finale 7-0

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels realize they are in a rare slump after dropping three straight to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

C.J. Wilson’s struggles are a bit more concerning to the club with the majors’ second-best record.

Hyun-Jin Ryu yielded two hits over seven dominant innings, Hanley Ramirez had a two-run single and the Dodgers wrapped up the Freeway Series with their third straight win, 7-0 over the Angels on Thursday night.

The Angels (67-47) managed just two runs on eight hits in the final 24 innings of the series, falling three games behind Oakland atop the AL West standings.

Their biggest concern is Wilson (8-8), who had another rough outing in his second start back from the disabled list. After failing to get out of the second inning last week, he yielded six hits and four walks to the Dodgers in his fifth straight winless start.

“We’re a really good team, and we need to put it together,” Wilson said. “For me, it’s better than my last outing, but that’s not saying much, because I think I could have thrown right-handed and pitched better last time.”

Adrian Gonzalez added a late two-run single as the NL-leading Dodgers (66-50) thoroughly shut down their Southern California neighbors in Anaheim, allowing one run in two games to win the Freeway Series for the first time since 2006.

David Freese’s one-out double in the fifth was the first hit for the Angels, who were shut out for the third time all season. They have lost three straight for the first time in more than two months.

“There are going to be stretches where you’re not pitching well and not playing well,” catcher Chris Iannetta said. “We’re not playing bad right now. We’re just not playing to our potential. … Hopefully we can tread water, hang in the race and not fall too far behind from Oakland.”

Although Angel Stadium was packed with its biggest crowd in 16 years, the blue-clad fans had all the fun in the Freeway Series finale.

Ryu (13-5) was brilliant in his fourth victory in five starts, striking out four and allowing just two runners to reach third base. The Korean left-hander threw a shutout last year in his only previous start against the Angels.

“It just felt really good to do it again,” Ryu said through a translator. “Last year, I had that really symbolic game for me. I just tried to duplicate the outcome. It’s a great thing to be on a winning streak and to take the series here.”

The Dodgers moved to a season-best 16 games over .500 and improved the majors’ best road record to 36-23.

BIRTHDAY BLUES:

Mike Trout went 0 for 3 with a walk on his 23rd birthday. The ballpark was festooned with dozens of congratulatory signs from Angels fans.

BIG CATCH:

The Angels briefly showed life when Albert Pujols’ sixth-inning double ended an 0-for-20 combined skid by Trout, Pujols and Josh Hamilton. But Yasiel Puig sprinted and leaped to catch Hamilton’s inning-ending drive at the warning track.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Dodgers: Josh Beckett is having an MRI exam after feeling pain in his hip while playing catch Wednesday. He will miss his scheduled start Friday.

Angels: Wilson is healthy enough to pitch, but his return from a sprained ankle hasn’t gone smoothly. With Tyler Skaggs sidelined for the near future with a strained forearm, the Angels don’t have many options to give Wilson more time.

ON DECK:

Dodgers: Roberto Hernandez (6-8, 3.87 ERA) will start in Milwaukee one day after the Dodgers acquired him in a trade with Philadelphia.

Angels: Jered Weaver (12-6, 3.59 ERA), who hasn’t lost since June 21, will open a series against the Boston Red Sox.

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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