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Crisp’s 3-run triple helps A’s halt slide

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics leadoff hitter Coco Crisp tinkered with his swing for a few days and finally got the results he has been looking for.

That is critical for a team trying to hang on in the AL West after owning the best record in baseball for a majority of the season.

Crisp hit a tiebreaking three-run triple in the fourth inning to help Scott Kazmir earn his career-best 14th win, and the A’s beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

“I haven’t been hitting well at all so I’m trying to figure out some things to try to be successful with whatever I’m dealing with,” Crisp said. “These past couple of days, whatever I’ve been trying to do it seems like it could work so I’m trying to stick with that and see what happens.”

Crisp wouldn’t divulge what changes he has made to his swing but it is clear he knew something had to change.

Coming off a miserable road trip when he went 2-for-23, Crisp grounded out and singled before lining an 0-1 pitch from Mets starter Dillon Gee down the right field line with the bases loaded. It was Crisp’s third triple this season.

The A’s, who avoided losing six consecutive games for the first time since 2012, remained a half-game behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.

“It’s very rare that he goes through a stretch like that,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of Crisp. “It’s not like he was striking out all the time (or) taking off-balance swings. A hit like that, especially with runners in scoring position in a tight game, can do wonders for the personality.”

Kazmir (14-5) allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He retired nine of his final 10 batters after giving up a solo home run to Travis d’Arnaud leading off the fourth.

New York lost its third straight.

Oakland had been mired in a team-wide hitting slump before coming up with its most productive game in a week.

Crisp, the A’s leadoff hitter who has been in and out of the lineup with lingering neck pain, provided the biggest boost with his first multi-hit game since July 8.

Josh Reddick added a two-run homer, and Alberto Callaspo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly two batters before Crisp’s bases-clearing hit.

The Mets avoided making history but couldn’t snap their skid.

New York had been held to four hits or fewer in its previous five games. According to stats provided to the team by Elias Sports Bureau, no club had ever done that in six straight.

The Mets managed seven hits this time but it wasn’t enough to prevent their second loss in three games against the A’s this season.

Gee (4-6) gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander fell to 0-5 in his past seven starts and is winless since July 9.

“He was up in the zone,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “That’s not where he’s supposed to be. The balls Coco hit were because he fell behind in the count. He’s a better pitcher than he’s showing.”

WORLD SERIES REDUX

This was just the Mets’ second visit to Oakland since the teams played in the 1973 World Series. New York lost two of three games at the Coliseum in 2005.

ON FIRE

D’Arnaud’s home run was his fourth in 12 games. In 43 games since being brought up from Triple-A on June 24, he is batting .267 with eight homers, 10 doubles, 22 RBIs and 10 runs scored.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: As expected, New York placed RHP Bartolo Colon on the bereavement list following the death of his mother. RHP Gonzalez Germen was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Colon’s roster spot. … RHP Jacob deGrom pitched to hitters and is on schedule to come off the DL on Friday. … 2B Daniel Murphy was given the night off. Murphy went into the day leading the NL with 152 hits.

Athletics: INF Nick Punto (hamstring) will begin to do more baseball activities in the coming days. … OF Craig Gentry (hand) was slated to play seven innings for Triple-A Sacramento. Kyle Blanks (calf strain) was penciled in at DH.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Zach Wheeler (8-8) makes his second career start against Oakland. Wheeler allowed six runs and lasted just two innings in his only other outing against the A’s on June 25, the shortest start of his career.

Athletics: RHP Jeff Samardzija (3-2) pitches the second half of this two-game series. He is unbeaten in five starts at the Coliseum.

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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