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Napoli’s HR helps Bosox beat Weaver, Angels 4-2

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Center fielder Jackie Bradley had as much to do with saving a victory for the Boston Red Sox on Friday night as closer Koji Uehara did.

Bradley, fighting an 0 for 27 slump, was put in for defense in the eighth inning by manager John Farrell and made two scintillating catches on the dead run to help preserve Allen Webster’s 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

“He’s such an impact defender. We’ve seen it many times, and he had an impact in this game tonight just with two innings of defense,” Farrell said.

“The one thing that has never been shaken in his time here has been his defense. He’s a confident defender, and he feels like he can roll out of bed and run to a spot where a ball is eventually going to land. Thankfully, he’s got that instinct because it showed up twice here tonight.”

Bradley raced toward short right-center to prevent a leadoff single by Mike Trout leading off the eighth, then sprinted to the alley in right-center and made a leaping grab of Howie Kendrick’s extra-base bid leading off the ninth.

“It all happened so fast. I was just hoping the wall didn’t stop me before I was able to get to it,” Bradley said. “On the first play, Trout had two strikes on him — but I’m not playing in with that guy. I saw it right off the bat, so I just put my head down. It was much easier than the one to the wall because I could keep my eyes on it.”

Mike Napoli homered against former batterymate Jered Weaver and Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run double for the Red Sox.

Webster (2-1) allowed two runs and four hits over 6 2-3 innings in his third start since getting recalled from Triple-A on July 26, when Jake Peavy was traded to San Francisco. The right-hander struck out three, walked two and hit two batters.

Uehara got three outs during a shaky ninth to get his 24th save.

Weaver (12-7) lost for the first time since June 16, allowing four runs and seven hits through six innings after going 5-0 in his previous nine starts. The Angels’ fourth straight loss matched their longest skid of the season and dropped them four games behind AL West-leading Oakland, following the Athletics’ 6-5 win over Minnesota.

“Obviously, it could have gone a little better,” Weaver said. “I really wanted to come in and throw a good game and it wasn’t really the case. I was kind of battling the whole night. I couldn’t make pitches. That’s all there is to it.”

Last Saturday at Fenway Park against the Yankees, Webster was staked to a 3-0 lead in the second inning before walking his first three batters in the third and giving up four runs en route to a 6-4 loss.

“It was an encouraging outing for him,” Farrell said. “He was much more under control tonight and showed the ability to make adjustments more readily than the last time out. There’s no denying his potential. We see it every time we put the ball in his hand.”

But Napoli, who caught Weaver during their first five seasons in the big leagues, helped make sure there wouldn’t be a repeat of that scenario for Webster when he hit his 14th homer to left-center with two out in the fifth. It was his third against Weaver.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Outfielder Allen Craig, who has played only one game since he was acquired from St. Louis on July 31, got a second opinion on his sprained left foot from Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, North Carolina. There were no new findings.

Angels: Reliever Mike Morin, who hasn’t pitched since July 31 because of a laceration on his left foot, has been doing some long toss and will continue to through the weekend before he gets back on a mound early next week.

ON DECK

Red Sox: Right-hander Clay Buchholz (5-7, 6.20 ERA) has never had a season with 30 or more starts — despite the fact that all but two of his 141 big league appearances have come as a starter. This is the fifth straight season he has spent time on the DL.

Angels: Right-hander Garrett Richards (12-4, 2.58 ERA) is coming off his first big league shutout, a five-hitter at Dodger Stadium in which he threw a career-high 122 pitches.

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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