Skip to main content

Johnson, Teheran, Braves hand A’s 4th loss in row

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves are trying to use a visit from Oakland, who came to Atlanta with the majors’ best record, to prove they shouldn’t be dismissed in the NL playoff hunt.

Chris Johnson drove in two runs with three hits, Julio Teheran threw six strong innings and the Braves edged the suddenly struggling Athletics 4-3 on Saturday night.

“We’re not giving up. We’re not going to crumble,” Johnson said after the Braves remained six games behind Washington in the NL East. Atlanta began the night two games behind the NL wild-card leaders.

The A’s matched their worst skid of the season by losing four in a row as they fell percentage points behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West. It is the first time since April 28 they have not held sole possession of first place in the division.

“It’s tough to go through this as a team, but I feel like everyone goes through it and maybe this is our time right now,” said Sonny Gray, who gave up four runs in 5 1-3 innings.

“We’ve just got to go out there and play with confidence.”

Oakland has dropped six of seven overall.

“They’re a tough ballclub,” Johnson said. “They’ve played really well all year. We’re just trying to prove to ourselves we can play with them and we can stay in this thing.”

Teheran (11-9) gave up two runs on four hits and three walks. The Braves had lost 12 of 15 before winning the first two games of the series.

Craig Kimbrel got his 36th save in 40 chances.

Manager Bob Melvin said Gray (12-7) had no breaks as he gave up eight hits and absorbed his fourth straight defeat.

“I thought he pitched well,” Melvin said. “He got a little tired at the end but three of those hits are bloops; two of them scored runs.”

There was a brief delay in the bottom of the sixth when a nude man ran onto the field. He was quickly tackled by security officers and taken off the field.

Stephen Vogt hit a two-run homer and John Jaso also homered for Oakland. The A’s also lost four straight from May 22-25.

Atlanta closed it out after Josh Reddick led off the A’s ninth with a long fly ball that Justin Upton caught at the left-field wall.

Freddie Freeman hit an RBI double and scored on Johnson’s single to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the first. Upton led off the fourth with a single and scored on Andrelton Simmons’ two-out, bloop single to left field for a 3-0 lead.

Upton walked to lead off Atlanta’s sixth and scored from first on Johnson’s third hit, a hit-and-run single to left-center.

Jaso’s homer off Jordan Walden in the eighth cut the lead to one run.

THROW (WAY, WAY) BACK

Atlanta celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 1914 Boston Braves. The Braves and A’s wore retro uniforms. The “Miracle Braves” spent much of the season in last place before rallying to earn a spot in the World Series, where they swept Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s. Oakland players all wore high socks with horizontal stripes while Braves players stayed with the 2014 style of wearing their pants over their socks.

HOT STREAK

Vogt is 11 for 30 (.367) with three homers and eight RBIs in his last eight games as he has recovered from a 0-for-21 stretch from July 20 to Aug. 6.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: SS Jed Lowrie, placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday with a broken right index finger, has remained with the team and has even fielded grounders. Melvin said Lowrie is trying to keep himself “as close to game-ready as he can without overtaxing the finger.”

Braves: Simmons, who did not play on Friday night when he had a headache after having two teeth extracted, was back in the lineup. Phil Gosselin, who hit his first homer on Friday night while filling in for Simmons, started at second base and had two hits. … RHP Shae Simmons (strained right shoulder) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett.

UP NEXT

Athletics: Jon Lester, who beat the Braves on May 27 while with the Red Sox, will look for his fourth straight win with Oakland. He has won seven decisions in a row overall.

Braves: Mike Minor, who is 1-3 with a 7.17 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break, will try to build on encouraging results in his last start, when he allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings against the Dodgers. Minor has allowed a .372 batting average in those four starts.

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