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A’s falter in 7th of 7-3 loss to Royals

By WTOP Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — After a spotless stretch for 18 days earlier this month, the Oakland Athletics bullpen is struggling a bit.

Starter Jeff Samardzija left with a one-run lead in the seventh inning, but Ryan Cook failed to hold it in a 7-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.

Cook allowed two inherited runners to score and three of his own without retiring a batter. Cook’s streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings came to an abrupt halt.

“I have all the faith in the world in those guys,” Samardzija said. “The best thing is to stay out of these situations altogether and go out and get them 1-2-3.”

The A’s relievers set a club record with a 29 2-3 scoreless innings streak from July 23-Aug. 9. But in the past six games, the bullpen has allowed 10 runs in 12 1-3 innings.

“Our bullpen is the best in baseball I really believe that,” said Stephen Vogt, who had three hits and scored a run.

“They have given us so many great innings. To have one hiccup, I’m not worrying about it. We have all the confidence in our bullpen.”

Nori Aoki and Billy Butler each drove in two runs in a five-run seventh as the Royals have won 18 of 22 to move 12 games above .500 for the first time since July 20, 2003.

The Royals took the season series, winning five of seven against the Athletics, who have the best record in the majors.

The A’s could face the Royals, who lead the AL Central, in the playoffs.

“I don’t think there is a playoff team that anybody wants to face,” Vogt said. “There are about eight teams that nobody wants to face in October and some of them are new teams. These guys (Royals) are one of them.”

Aoki’s two-run triple put the Royals ahead 5-3. Butler’s single scored Aoki and Alcides Escobar. Jarrod Dyson fouled off four consecutive pitches before hitting an RBI single to right for the first run of the inning.

Samardzija (3-2) took the loss, giving up four runs, three earned, and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Aaron Crow (6-1), the third of six Kansas City pitchers, picked up the victory, retiring the only batter he faced.

Starter James Shields gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings and has a 1.94 ERA in his past eight starts. Greg Holland earned the final two outs for his 36th save in 38 opportunities.

The A’s scored two runs in the sixth when Dyson lost Josh Reddick’s high fly in the sun for a triple, which scored Vogt.

Alberto Callaspo drove in two Oakland runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.

ON DECK

Athletics: RHP Jason Hammel will start the opener of a weekend series at Atlanta. The A’s last played at Atlanta in 2008, losing two of three.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy will start Friday at Minnesota, where the Royals have lost four of six this season. The Royals play their next nine on the road, all against clubs in last place in their division — Minnesota, Colorado and Texas.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: SS Jed Lowrie was placed on the disabled list after the game with a broken right index finger. Lowrie, who injured it Aug. 4, returned to San Francisco to have his finger checked.

Royals: 1B Eric Hosmer’s MRI of his broken finger showed progress, but he will not be allowed to swing a bat for at least another week.

ROOKIE SENSATION

Royals IF Christian Colon had his second three-hit game, including a double, stole his first base in the majors and scored a run. He is hitting .444 in five career starts.

PARRINO RECALLED

The A’s recalled IF Andy Parrino from Triple-A Sacramento, where he was hitting .286 with 28 extra-base hits and 52 RBIs in 90 games. He will take Lowrie’s roster spot.

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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