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Rangers drop 8th in a row to Angels, 5-4

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nick Martinez retired the first 15 batters he faced the only other time he started against the Los Angeles Angels.

This time, the young Texas Rangers right-hander gave up a leadoff hit and then a home run to the same batter a few innings later.

Kole Calhoun had three hits, including a game-opening single and a tiebreaking, three-run shot in the fifth, and the Angels stretched their winning streak against their AL West rivals to eight with a 5-4 victory Friday night.

“I thought he threw well,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said about Martinez. “Just one unexecuted pitch, the one to Calhoun. He wanted to go down and away, and ended up pulling it across the middle of the plate.”

Martinez (2-9), who got a no-decision after going a career-high seven innings in a 10-inning Texas loss June 21 against the Angels, struck out six while allowing four runs and six hits in six innings.

Calhoun, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, had multiple hits for the fifth time in his last six games.

Garrett Richards (13-4) struck out seven without a walk in 7 1-3 innings, and has won all four of his starts this season against Texas. The right-hander allowed two runs while scattering seven hits.

Huston Street worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save in as many chances since the Angels acquired him. He has thrown 11 scoreless innings in 11 games since the July 18 trade from San Diego, where he had 24 saves.

The Angels led for good after Calhoun’s 412-foot shot off Martinez (2-9) into the second deck of seats in right field made it 4-1 in the fifth.

Shin-Soo Choo led off against Richards with a single and came home on the first of Adrian Beltre’s four singles, three of them off Richards.

Beltre also broke up a double play with a hard slide in the eighth to extend that inning and allow a final run to score, when the Rangers scored three times — twice off reliever Kevin Jepsen.

“But we weren’t able to finish the job,” said Beltre, who is hitting .321 this season.

Jon Edwards made his major league debut in the eighth after having his contract purchased from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day. The right-hander from nearby Keller High became the 57th player, 36th pitcher and 18th rookie for Texas this season.

The Rangers are one shy of matching the 2002 San Diego Padres for the most pitchers ever used. They are two off the major league record shared by three teams for most players used in one season, including those Padres.

Edwards, who had a blown tire on the way from Round Rock to Arlington, got two outs despite throwing 10 balls among his 19 pitches. His last struck out Erick Aybar.

“That was gutsy right there. Having issues trying to command the ball and then drops a breaking ball in for a called third strike,” Washington said. “He’s going to be OK.”

NOT A GOOD CENTURY

The Rangers lost for the 67th time in their last 100 games since April 25, including 40 losses in their last 52 games overall. They have also lost 15 of their last 19 home games, and dropped five consecutive series openers.

A NEW DOZEN TO THE SHOW

Edwards, an outfielder when drafted by St. Louis in 2006, became the 12th Texas player to make his major league debut this season. When he came out, Alex Claudio pitched in his third straight game since being called up for the first time Wednesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Rookie RHP Mike Morin is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday, the first day the reliever is eligible to come back after missing 13 games with a cut on his left foot.

Rangers: Alex Rios was back in RF for the first time since Sunday, when he re-aggravated a right ankle sprain on a slide. After being the DH the previous two games, he did some early work in the field before starting in the outfield.

UP NEXT

Los Angeles goes for its ninth consecutive win against the Rangers, which would match its longest streak in the series, a mark set from 1985-86. Matt Shoemaker tries to become the Angels’ third 11-game winner in the middle game of the weekend set. Colby Lewis (8-9) starts for the Rangers.

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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