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A’s get 3 hits off 8 Angels pitchers in 2-0 loss

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jeff Samardzija pitched a complete game, giving up one earned run, and still lost.

Adding to his frustration was the fact that the Oakland Athletics’ suddenly anemic offense was held to three hits by eight Los Angeles Angels pitchers.

Samardzija gave up an RBI single to Erick Aybar in the fourth inning and allowed another run to score on a wild pitch moments later. That was all it took to saddle the right-hander with a 2-0 defeat Saturday night.

“Against that team, it doesn’t matter what inning it is. You’ve still got to bring your ‘A’ game out there,” Samardzija said. “I knew that going in, and I was just trying to avoid that letdown inning and keep throwing up zeros.”

Samardzija (4-4) allowed four hits and no walks while striking out nine. The only other time he faced the Angels in the regular season was July 10, 2013, when he gave up nine runs in 4 2-3 innings and four homers — two by Josh Hamilton — in a 13-2 loss at Wrigley Field.

“I don’t know if Shark could pitch any better than he did tonight,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “He was throwing 100 mph in the eighth, he had a great split, and as good a slider as we’ve seen from him all year.”

The A’s dropped four games behind the Angels in the AL West, their largest deficit of the season. They led the division by four games on Aug. 9 before going on their current 6-13 slide. Their only hits were infield singles by Josh Donaldson in the first and fourth, and a single by Sam Fuld in the ninth.

“We’re pressing some, offensively,” said Melvin, whose team has gone 22 innings without a run. “What we’re good at is passing the baton to the next guy, but every one of these guys wants to be the guy that gets big hits and gets us out of this thing. And it’s just not happening for us right now. We knew coming into this series that runs were going to be at a premium, and it has been.”

Cory Rasmus made his first major league start in place of Garrett Richards, out for the season because of a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. The 26-year-old right-hander threw 49 pitches over three innings — matching his longest stint in 43 relief appearances over two big league seasons — and allowed one hit while striking out six and walking none.

Michael Roth, recalled from Double-A Arkansas earlier in the day, relieved Rasmus and found himself in a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth. He was replaced by Yoslan Herrera (1-1) after Jonny Gomes was sent up to pinch hit for Josh Reddick, and Gomes grounded into an inning-ending double play.

“We’re trying to take our best shot at that time, and they’re trying to match up, obviously,” Melvin said. “They did a great job with it and we didn’t come through. Other than Roth, we’ve seen all those guys. I mean, we knew it would be a bullpen day for them, and they handled it well.”

Herrera made only four pitches while helping the Angels win their fifth in a row to go a season-best 29 games over .500 (82-53). Former A’s closer Huston Street got three outs for his 11th save with the Angels and 35th overall this season, reducing their bullpen ERA to 3.31.

“They did what they had to do and they were able to piece it together with an open starter’s spot,” Samardzija said. “As for myself, it always feels good to go out there and do it yourself without having to use any guys in the bullpen and save them for the next day.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Center fielder and switch-hitting leadoff man Coco Crisp did not play because of neck stiffness, the result of a play he made trying to rob Chris Iannetta of a two-run homer on Friday night. The A’s have seven players on the disabled list.

Angels: No injury updates.

UP NEXT

Athletics: Scott Kazmir (14-6, 3.08 ERA) is enjoying the best season of his 10-year career, despite giving up seven runs over three innings in a 9-4 loss to Jeff Weaver in Oakland last Sunday. The former Angels lefty has leveled off somewhat, going 3-3 with a 5.09 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break. He was 11-3 with a 2.38 ERA in his first 19 outings.

Angels: Matt Shoemaker (13-4, 3.33) will attempt to tie the franchise rookie record for victories, shared by Dean Chance (1962), Marcelino Lopez (1965) and Frank Tanana (1974). The bearded right-hander, who began the season in the bullpen, will be making his first start against the A’s after winning four in a row.

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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