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Rangers come up short again in 5-4 loss to Angels

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers are trying, they just have nothing to show for their effort.

Albert Pujols and Howie Kendrick homered to give the Angels an early lead, and Los Angeles held on again to beat the Rangers 5-4 on Saturday night.

“They play hard every night,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We just haven’t been able to put things together that we can walk off with a W, but they leave their heart out there every night. I’m proud of them.”

The Angels (72-49) are alone in first place in the AL West for the first time since 2011, but are only two percentage points ahead of the Oakland Athletics, who lost at Atlanta on Saturday.

The Rangers (47-76) are fifth in the division and have lost four in a row. Texas has lost its last nine to Los Angeles, tying the series record set during the 1985 season and matched a year later.

Angels starter Matt Shoemaker (11-4) pitched three perfect innings before Shin-Soo Choo led off the fourth with a home run, but by that time, the Angels led 5-0.

Huston Street worked a scoreless ninth inning for his 33rd save in 34 opportunities. It was the second straight night the Rangers rallied before losing 5-4.

Alex Rios’ two-run single with two out in the seventh inning broke his 0-for-16 slump and pulled Texas within a run. Adrian Beltre grounded out to end the inning.

“It don’t matter if you lose by one or 10,” Rios said. “It’s a loss.”

Pujols hit a solo homer in the first against starter Colby Lewis (8-10). Kendrick hit another solo shot in the second.

“We haven’t accomplished anything. Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves,” Pujols said. “When we accomplish our goal, then we can talk about it.”

Los Angeles’ Chris Iannetta doubled home another run in the second, and Kole Calhoun singled to drive in two more in the fourth. Both hits, like Pujols’ homer, were with two out.

The Rangers pulled within 5-2 in the fourth on J.P. Arencibia’s run-scoring single that broke an 0-for-19 slump.

Lewis allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings. He struck out 10 for the first time since June 17, 2012. The 10-year veteran’s career high is 12, posted May 10, 2012.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: Rios made his fourth consecutive start after aggravating a sprained right ankle on Aug. 10. RHP Yu Darvish (inflamed elbow) won’t travel with the team to Miami on Monday, and will continue treatment in Arlington.

Angels: Los Angeles activated RHP Mike Morin (left foot laceration) from the disabled list. He pitched an inning in relief.

UP NEXT

The teams’ three-game series concludes on Sunday.

Texas RHP Nick Tepesch (4-7, 4.29) last faced the Angels on July 11, when he lost 3-0. Angels LHP Hector Santiago (3-7, 5.84) defeated the Rangers 15-6 on July 10 in Arlington.

SLUMPING

Rangers LF Jim Adduci went 0-for-3 to extend his slump to 0-for-20. Angels CF Mike Trout went 0-for-5, stretching his drought to 0 for 16.

HOT HOT HOT

Texas CF Leonys Martin is 10 for 20 in his last five games, including two singles on Saturday.

Calhoun stretched his hitting streak to a season-high seven games. In six of those games, he has had multiple hits. He is batting .441 (15 for 34) during the streak. Calhoun has five RBIs in the series’ first two games.

FAVORITE PARK

Kendrick’s home run was his ninth in Arlington — the most he has hit in any road ballpark during his career.

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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