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Amarista’s 10th-inning single beats Dodgers

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres manager Bud Black watched Alexi Amarista’s winning single in the 10th inning from the tunnel behind the dugout.

Black had been ejected in the top of the inning for unloading on first base umpire Clint Fagan, who had just ruled that Yasiel Puig checked his swing on a 2-2 pitch with Matt Kemp on second and two outs in a tie game.

Things have been going the Padres’ way lately. Puig struck out swinging and then Amarista lifted San Diego to a 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

For the first time in franchise history, the Padres managed to win extra-inning games on three straight days.

“That was really a critical point of the game,” Black said of the ejection. “When you think about it, Yasiel Puig up, with Matt Kemp at second base, in the 10th inning. I think Todd Tichenor is one of the best umpires in the National League. The fellow at first is a good, young umpire. I thought he swung. That’s the bottom line. Obviously in the heat of the moment I reacted like I did because you’re trying to win a major league game and it’s hard to win sometimes.”

When Puig checked his swing, catcher Yasmani Grandal asked Tichenor to appeal to Fagan, who said he didn’t go.

A few moments later, Fagan was tossing Black.

Will Venable started the winning rally with a single to center off Jamey Wright (4-4) and stole second as pinch-hitter Rymer Liriano struck out. Amarista then lofted a single over shortstop Hanley Ramirez, and Venable slid in headfirst just ahead of the throw.

“This is another game that sort of builds confidence for our guys and they realize we can beat a first-place team,” Black said.

The Dodgers’ lead in the NL West was to cut to 2 1/2 games over San Francisco, which beat Milwaukee 3-1 behind former Padres star Jake Peavy.

Tim Stauffer (6-2) pitched the 10th for the win for the Padres, who remain mired in third in the division, 11 games back.

“I think the main thing we’ve seen is, we’re not swinging the bats as good and it goes back to giving the other guys credit,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “They did a nice job with us and they always have. We have to make adjustments back.”

The Padres had runners on first and second with no outs in the ninth when Yasmani Grandal lined a shot back at J.P. Howell. The reliever somehow caught the ball, turned and doubled Abraham Almonte off second. Brian Wilson came on and got Jedd Gyorko to fly out to left.

Starters Zack Greinke and Ian Kennedy both pitched well.

On June 12, 2013, Kennedy, then with Arizona, was one of six players and coaches ejected after a brawl with the Dodgers. Kennedy hit Puig and Greinke with high pitches.

Greinke held San Diego to one run and four hits in eight innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Kennedy went seven innings, also allowing one run and four hits while striking out eight and walking three.

Kennedy doubled into the gap in right-center with one out in the third to bring in Rene Rivera and give San Diego a 1-0 lead. Rivera was aboard on a leadoff double down the left-field line.

Adrian Gonzalez tied it with a drive into a party deck on the right-field wall with two outs in the sixth. It was his 19th homer.

Gonzalez extended to 61 his record for home runs at Petco Park. He hit 47 when he was with the Padres from 2006-2010.

Puig was back in the Dodgers’ lineup a day after being benched because Mattingly felt the outfielder was frustrated. Puig struck out in his first two at-bats. In the sixth, he lifted a high fly ball to deep center field and flipped his bat, thinking it was a home run. Instead, it was just another long fly ball to the fence at spacious Petco Park.

TREVOR TIME

Before the game, Trevor Hoffman was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame. When he retired after the 2010 season, Hoffman was baseball’s career saves leader with 601, 552 of them in 16 seasons with the Padres. He is currently the Padres’ upper-level pitching coordinator.

LATE HEROICS

The Padres have won in their last at-bat in three straight games. It’s the first time they have accomplished that feat since they did it four straight times from April 13-16, 1986.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu is scheduled to come off the disabled list and start Sunday’s series finale. He has been out since Aug. 14 with a strained right hip.

Padres: Black said closer Joaquin Benoit will be sidelined because his right shoulder is sore again. He recently went 11 days between appearances because of soreness.

UP NEXT:

Dodgers: Ryu (13-6, 3.28 ERA) last pitched in a loss at Atlanta on Aug. 13, allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings.

Padres: Eric Stults (6-14, 4.63 ERA) has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 12 starts.

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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