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Gee loses fifth straight in A’s 6-2 win over Mets

By WTOP Staff

RICK EYMER
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dillon Gee is frustrated, so is manager Terry Collins. And the New York Mets just keep losing.

Gee hasn’t been able to get out of the sixth inning in four of his last seven starts, all losses.

It happened again Tuesday night when Coco Crisp hit a tiebreaking three-run triple off Gee in the fourth inning, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Mets 6-2 to snap a five-game losing streak.

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

Gee (4-6) hopes Collins is right. He gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings and lost his fifth straight decision in seven starts, the longest skid of his career. Gee is winless since July 9.

“It’s difficult and it’s frustrating,” Gee said. “All I can do is try to take the positives out of this, keep working hard and try to turn it around.”

Gee pitched well through three innings. He faced a two-out, bases-loaded situation in the third but struck out Josh Donaldson, the A’s home run leader.

He struggled in the fourth, and things just fell apart for Gee afterward.

“It seems I can be consistent for a while and then just lose it for a minute,” Gee said. “I haven’t been able to get through the rough inning.”

Scott 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 and sixth of eight overall.

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.

“We’ve got to put more than two hits together in an inning,” Collins said. “We’ve got to get stuff going.”

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.

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. . IF David Wright is hitting .384 against left-handers this season after going 1 for 4.

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

A BRIGHT SPOT

Travis d’Arnaud hit his 11th home run of the season and his eighth since being recalled from Triple-A on June 24. What made Collins happy was where d’Arnaud hit his homer.

“Going to right field, that was nice to see,” Collins said. “We’ve talked about it. He has power that way.”

D’Arnaud is hitting .267 (42 for 158) with 24 runs, 10 doubles and 22 RBIs since the recall.

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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