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Dodgers lose to Padres, see division lead slip

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE WILSON
AP Sports Writer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Another extra-inning loss for the Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego proved to be a costly one for the NL West leaders.

Alexi Amarista singled in the winning run with one out in the 10th inning, lifting the Padres to a 2-1 victory Saturday night.

Los Angeles’ lead in the division was sliced to 2 1/2 games over San Francisco, which beat Milwaukee 3-1 for its fifth consecutive victory. It’s the Dodgers’ smallest lead since they were up by the same margin on Aug. 6.

“I expected it from early on,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “I think everyone in our locker room understands how good the Giants are and where we are at and how hard games are to win down the stretch. We are getting into a pennant race and we should have expected it.”

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 into center field and Venable slid in headfirst just ahead of the throw.

Padres manager Bud Black was ejected in the top of the 10th for arguing a call that Yasiel Puig checked his swing on a 2-2 pitch with two outs and Matt Kemp on second. Puig struck out on the next pitch.

Tim Stauffer (6-2) pitched the 10th for the win.

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.

Greinke said the Dodgers have been concerned about the Giants all season.

“It’s not like it’s going to be an easy ride,” he said. “If we don’t play good, it’s going to be a problem.”

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.

PUIG’S HITTING

Puig stopped an 0-for-22 slump, the longest hitless streak of his career, with a single in the eighth.

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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