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Dominguez, Altuve team up, lead Astros over Texas

By WTOP Staff

HOUSTON (AP) — Jose Altuve leads the majors in hits and is 11 away from 200 for the season.

He insists he’s not counting.

“If you’re thinking hits, you’re not paying attention to wins,” Altuve said Sunday after leading the Houston Astros past the Texas Rangers 3-2.

Altuve matched his career high with four hits, including two doubles. His single with two outs in the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run.

Matt Dominguez hit a tying home run off reliever Neal Cotts (2-8) with one out in the eighth to make it 2-all. Jake Marisnick was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Altuve’s single.

“He’s the kind of guy you want to have in that situation,” Dominguez said. “It seems he gets three hits a game.”

Dominguez had an RBI single earlier in the game. The Astros won a series for the first time since Aug. 19-21 at Yankee Stadium.

Jose Veras (3-1) got the win and Chad Qualls posted his 16th save.

Dallas Keuchel went seven innings for the Astros, allowing two runs and five hits. He struck out three and walked two.

“Each and every time this guy goes to the mound we feel pretty good about our chances as a team to win the ballgame,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “Today was no different.”

Alex Rios doubled and singled for Texas, driving in a run and scoring run. His RBI single in the sixth scored Daniel Robertson to put Texas ahead 2-1.

Rios doubled and scored on Ryan Rua’s grounder in the first inning.

“My only concern when I go out there and play is to limit the other team to (fewer) runs that what we score,” Keuchel said. “In the month of August I really didn’t do my job. I’m just thankful we got the win today.”

Texas rookie Nick Martinez pitched 5 1-3 innings, giving up one run and six hits. He struck out four and walked three.

“I told him he did his job when he came off the field,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “It was up to the bullpen to finish it off. We had the two best we’ve got in there and we just didn’t do it.”

Porter praised his team for coming up with clutch runs late in the game. Keuchel said that’s the difference between this year’s team and last season’s squad.

“This is team is a year older, a year wiser and we’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re getting there,” Keuchel said. “Whether we are crawling or inching, we’re going to fight. That’s really the big difference.”

That, and they have players like Altuve on their side.

“He’s been unreal all year,” Dominguez said.

FINDING HIS GROOVE

Dominguez’s 2-for-4, 2-RBI outing was a much-needed boost for the third baseman.

“He’s been in a funk, and he’s been working hard,” Porter said. “He got a pitch that he could handle and put a really good swing on that ball.”

Dominguez, whose eight-inning homer was the first at Minute Maid Park since late July, said the extra work is paying off.

“I’m feeling a little bit more confident at the plate,” he said.

ROTATION WOES

The Rangers are keeping a close eye on RHP Miles Mikolas as they decide on the fifth spot of the rotation.

“Let’s see how Mikolas is,” Washington said. “If we feel we need to miss him another start we can always fill it with (Scott) Baker. Robbie (Ross Jr.) is in the mix, but we’ll see where it goes.”

Mikolas was scratched from Saturday’s start with shoulder fatigue. Texas plans to start RHP Colby Lewis, LHP Derek Holland and RHP Nick Tepesch at Kansas City.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: Whether RHP Yu Darvish (right elbow) can return to the mound this season remains unclear. “I don’t know,” Washington said. “Waiting until Dr. (Keith) Meister tells him he can pick up a baseball to make a decision.” Darvish was placed on the 15-day DL Aug. 13, retroactive to Aug. 10.

Astros: INF Marwin Gonzalez was kept out of the lineup one day after being scratched with discomfort in his right hamstring. Gregorio Petit started at SS.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Lewis (9-11) looks to build on his previous outing — his second complete game of the season, snapping a three-game losing streak — when he starts Monday night at Kansas City.

Astros: After an off-day, Houston starts RHP Brad Peacock (3-8) on Tuesday night at home against the Los Angeles Angels. He is looking for his first win since July 8.

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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