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Stanton’s 3-run HR helps Marlins beat Angels 7-1

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — In the first regular-season showdown between two of baseball’s brightest young stars, Giancarlo Stanton upstaged Mike Trout with one very loud swing.

The Miami Marlins’ slugger hit a three-run homer, highlighting their 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

The loss dropped the Angels back into a tie for the AL West lead with Oakland, which won 8-2 in Houston.

Stanton and Trout entered the final interleague series of the season for both clubs leading their respective leagues in extra-base hits and total bases. Stanton also tops the NL in homers, RBIs, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Trout, runner-up in AL MVP voting each of the past two seasons, was this year’s All-Star game MVP.

“It’s cool, but I wasn’t anticipating it or circling it on the schedule or anything like that,” Stanton said. “I was looking forward more to seeing my family than seeing him.”

Jarred Cosart (2-1) allowed a run and seven hits over 7 2-3 innings. He struck out four in his fourth outing since he was acquired from Houston at the July 31 trade deadline. The right-hander, who was 9-7 with the Astros, lost his shutout bid in the eighth on an RBI double by Kole Calhoun.

“I tried to attack the strike zone, first and foremost,” Cosart said. “That’s one of the best lineups in the game, and you know the names on the backs of the jerseys in the middle of it. So if you get those guys out and get complacent, then the bottom of the order can hurt you. Then when they flip it back over, you’re in a world of hurt.”

Christian Yelich, a native of Thousand Oaks, California, and a product of the baseball camp run by Angels manager Mike Scioscia, was 3 for 5 with a pair of RBI singles and a double.

“I think I was 8 or 9 when I want to his camp, so it’s been a while. There were a lot of kids at those things, so I didn’t think he would have any idea,” Yelich said. “It was kind of weird today, stepping in the box and looking in the other dugout, and he was sitting right there. I just remember him giving speeches and stuff. It ended up paying off.”

Wade LeBlanc (0-1) was charged with six runs and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings as a replacement for Garrett Richards, out for the season because of a torn patellar tendon in his left knee that occurred last Wednesday in Boston. This was LeBlanc’s first big league start since May 6, 2013, when he lost at San Diego while pitching for the Marlins.

“The first time through the order was pretty smooth, but they did a good job making adjustments — and obviously I didn’t,” LeBlanc said. “I knew the adjustments I needed to make, and I just didn’t execute them. That’s a good hitting ballclub over there, and they’re pretty hot right now. I didn’t give this team much of a chance at all.”

The Marlins opened the scoring with a three-run third and made it 7-0 in the fourth with Stanton’s 33rd homer, a line drive to left-center off Cory Rasmus that increased his RBI total to 97. It was the 150th career homer for the two-time All-Star right fielder, four shy of Dan Uggla’s franchise record.

“The difference between a four-run game and a seven-run game is like night and day, because they can put up four runs in an inning with no problem,” Stanton said.

SHUFFLING THE DECK

Marcell Ozuna started in the cleanup spot for Miami for the first time this season and was 0 for 4 with a sacrifice fly. Reed Johnson was the designated hitter and singled his first two times up, leaving him one hit short of 1,000.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Marlins: 1B Jeff Baker, who came out of two games during the series at Colorado because of sinus problems related to the mile-high altitude, was back in the lineup and went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.

Angels: Scioscia said LHP Joe Thatcher is throwing off a mound, but is not quite ready for a minor league rehab assignment and probably won’t be activated from the disabled list on Sept. 1 when rosters expand. He hasn’t pitched since Aug. 2 because of a sprained left ankle.

UP NEXT

Marlins: Nathan Eovaldi (6-8, 4.06 ERA) is 1-5 with a 4.91 ERA in his last 10 starts. All three of his victories since May 26 have come on the road.

Angels: Matt Shoemaker (12-4, 3.56 ERA) looks to win his fourth straight start after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his 2-0 triumph last Thursday in Boston. He is two wins from tying the franchise rookie record, shared by Dean Chance (1962), Marcelino Lopez (1965) and Frank Tanana (1974).

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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