Skip to main content

Botched play leads to Phillies loss

By WTOP Staff

RICK EYMER
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A routine popup turned into another disappointing loss for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ryan Howard and Chase Utley combined for five hits and four RBIs at the plate. But a ball that landed between them on the infield grass played a key role in San Francisco’s rally for a 6-5 victory Saturday.

Howard drove in three runs for Philadelphia, which has lost six of eight. Ben Revere matched his career high with four hits.

Philadelphia carried a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth. Buster Posey led off with a base hit, but Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick then got Pablo Sandoval to pop it up.

“I felt Chase behind me and I heard him say something,” Howard said. “All I heard was ‘Got it.’ Talking to him later, he was saying ‘You got it.’ It was a small communication mistake and it started a rally.”

Utley picked up the ball and tried to flip it to second for a force, but the second baseman’s throw took Jimmy Rollins off the base.

“It seemed to be a momentum swing,” Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. “But leading up to that, we left the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth. We had a solid game going into the sixth.”

Michael Morse followed with a RBI double and pinch-hitter Adam Duvall walked to load the bases. Shallow fly balls by Joe Panik and Gregor Blanco fell just in front of outfielders and suddenly the game was tied.

Gregor Blanco added a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth against Philadelphia’s Jake Diekman. Antonio Bastardo (5-7) got the loss.

Howard was 2 for 3 against Giants starter Tim Hudson, improving his career mark against the right-hander to .343 (24 for 70) with 20 RBIs.

“He’s always been pretty tough, especially against me,” Hudson said. “He came out on top again today.”

Utley has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games against the Giants, batting .343 (23 for 67) with 12 RBIs over that span.

Kendrick pitched five innings for the Phillies, yielding four runs and eight hits.

Five relievers combined for five scoreless innings after Hudson departed, allowing San Francisco to rally in the sixth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

RHP Mike Adams (right labrum fraying) is on a long-toss throwing program. He last pitched in a game on June 6.

WHAT’S NEXT

Phillies: RHP David Buchanan (6-3, 4.40 ERA) makes his third start since returning to the majors for his second stint. After allowing seven home runs in his first five starts, Buchanan has allowed two over his last seven. The Phillies have won eight of their last 13 games at AT&T Park.

Giants: RHP Tim Lincecum (9-8, 4.51 ERA) gets the ball in Sunday’s series finale. He is 5-3 in 13 career appearances against the Phillies.

THE KENDRICK FILE

Kendrick can’t seem to catch a break when he starts during the day. He left Saturday’s game with a lead but ended up with a no-decision and is 1-10 over his last 16 daytime starts.

“He’s a competitor,” Utley said. “I don’t blame him for being frustrated for coming out of the game.”

He gave up a first-inning drive by Hunter Pence for the eighth homer he’s allowed in the opening frame. He’s allowed 25 first-inning runs in his 25 starts.

Kendrick declined comment.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote