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Braves’ free-fall continues in 6-4 loss to Dodgers

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman promised the Braves won’t give up on the season.

Freeman had three hits, including a double in Atlanta’s three-run eighth, but the rally fell short as the slumping Braves fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday.

The Braves trailed 5-1 before the eighth.

“I really liked the effort of our club, being down 5-1,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “We didn’t give up. We didn’t give up at-bats. We had a chance.”

Even so, another loss extended Atlanta’s free-fall. The Braves, who lost three of four in the series, began the day trailing first-place Washington by 5 games in the NL East.

“We’ve still got 41 games left,” Freeman said. “We can still make something of this if we keep grinding. … We’re not giving up. We’re still in this thing.”

Kenley Jansen struck out B.J. Upton with runners on second and third to end the game.

Dee Gordon had three hits and scored four runs for the NL West-leading Dodgers. Drew Butera hit a two-run homer, his first in almost three months.

Gordon stole two bases, increasing his total to 54, the most in the major leagues.

“Dee Gordon beat us,” Gonzalez said.

Gordon had plenty of help. Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez, who followed Gordon in the batting order, each also had three hits. Gonzalez drove in three runs.

The Braves trailed 5-1 before Justin Upton’s two-run double off Brian Wilson in the eighth. Andrelton Simmons’ single off Jansen drove in Upton, cutting the Dodgers’ lead to one run.

Jansen struck out pinch-hitter Evan Gattis to end the eighth. After Los Angeles scored one run in the top of the ninth, the Braves gave Jansen a scare.

After giving up a one-out walk to Jason Heyward, Jansen struck out Emilio Bonifacio. Freeman doubled off the right-field wall, moving Heyward to third. Jansen wrapped up his 34th save on Upton’s swinging strikeout.

The Braves have lost 12 of 15.

Aaron Harang (9-7) had his worst start in two months, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks in 4 1-3 innings. Harang hadn’t allowed as many runs since he was charged with nine runs, eight earned, in a 10-5 loss to Philadelphia on June 18.

Roberto Hernandez (7-8) gave up one run on three hits and four walks in six innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said RHP Josh Beckett won’t come off the 15-day disabled list when eligible on Tuesday. Beckett, who has a left hip impingement, will have more tests and Mattingly said surgery “is a possibility.” Mattingly said LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu may have a MRI after leaving Wednesday night’s game with a right gluteus muscle strain.

Braves: After doubling and advancing with a slide into third base in the eighth, Upton left the game with a mild left hamstring strain. “It’s something that flares up,” he said. The Braves say his status is day to day. B.J. Upton came in as a pinch-runner.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: After completing a nine-game road trip, the Dodgers open a home series against Milwaukee as RHP Zack Greinke looks for his 13th win against RHP Jimmy Nelson. Greinke, an All-Star this season, is 6-2 with a 2.66 in 10 home starts.

Braves: Atlanta opens a weekend series against the AL West-leading Oakland A’s as LHP Alex Wood (8-9) tries to reach .500 against Jason Hammel (1-4).

AVILAN RECALLED

Luis Avilan, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, gave up one run on two hits and a walk in the ninth. He said he focused on his curveball and change-up at Gwinnett. He joins James Russell as left-handers in the Braves’ bullpen. The team optioned RHP Juan Jaime to Gwinnett following Wednesday night’s win.

BACK TO THE WALL

Puig made a leaping catch of Freeman’s drive at the 400-foot mark, falling with his back against the center field wall in the sixth.

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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