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Rangers can’t handle Paxton, Mariners

By WTOP Staff

JOSH LIEBESKIND
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Texas ran into one of the baseball’s emerging young pitchers on Tuesday, and the Rangers had no answers.

James Paxton pitched into the seventh in a bounce-back start to lower his career ERA to 1.71 and the Seattle Mariners topped the Texas Rangers 5-0.

“I feel like I’m getting closer with each start,” said Paxton, who missed almost four months with a strained back muscle. “I feel like my stuff is starting to come around.”

Paxton tossed a career-high 118 pitches and came an out away from tying his career high with seven innings pitched. His ERA is the best mark for a pitcher in his first 11 Major League starts since 1990.

“He was good,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “I think he’s one of their promising young arms. He throws the ball hard and has a good breaking ball.”

Texas starter Nick Martinez struggled to keep the Rangers close in his five innings of work, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks.

Robinson Cano gave the Mariners an early lead with a towering two-out home run in the first, his 71st RBI of the year.

Seattle broke open a two-run game in the fifth, with the big blow coming on a double by Endy Chavez, which drove in a pair. Dustin Ackley scored Austin Jackson later in the inning with a single to stretch the lead to 5-0.

The Rangers put runners on the corners with two outs in the third after a review reversed a call at first and negated an inning-ending double play. Alex Rios grounded out, though, to end the threat. Texas failed to advance a runner past first base until Mike Carp took second on indifference in the ninth.

“They shut us down,” Washington said. “We had a couple of chances to score runs and we just didn’t.”

Danny Farquhar did not allow a hit in the final 2 2-3 innings for the Mariners.

The Mariners avoided back-to-back losses for the first time since losing four straight from July 22-25.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: OF Chris Denorfia was scratched with a stiff neck a couple hours prior to Tuesday’s game. Endy Chavez replaced Denorfia in right field.

Rangers: Rangers OF Alex Rios will have his right thumb reevaluated on Wednesday. Rios has been dealing with a bruised thumb for a week and it was heavily wrapped after Tuesday’s game, but Washington said it was not the reason he pinch-hit for the veteran in the eighth. … Texas still hasn’t announced RHP Yu Darvish’s season is over (elbow inflammation), but the likelihood that the Rangers’ ace pitches again during the 2014 season is diminishing given that it would take time to work back into game shape.

UP NEXT

Mariners: Seattle plans to recall RHP Erasmo Ramirez from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday to start the matinee finale against Texas. Ramirez is 1-5 with a 4.04 ERA at the big league level this year, but hasn’t allowed more than two runs his last six outings.

Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis looks to avoid the first four-game losing streak of his career and propel Texas to a series win.

CANO FINDING THE SEATS

Mariners 2B Robinson Cano has five home runs in August, the most he’s had in any month this season.

ANDRUS STOPPED

Texas SS Elvis Andrus failed to reach base via a hit or walk, snapping a streak of 20 games against Seattle. Andrus had hits in 17 of the 20 games.

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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