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Giants power past Brewers 15-5 for 3-game sweep

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Baseball Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — After an extended slump they would rather forget, the San Francisco Giants are gaining ground and back in the thick of the playoff chase as September begins.

Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run homer among his three RBIs, powering the San Francisco Giants past the Milwaukee Brewers 15-5 on Sunday to match a season high with their sixth straight win.

“With our struggles here at home it was really important, just getting that confidence, the swagger, whatever, back,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “I really thought we would turn it around.”

Madison Bumgarner (16-9) followed his one-hit gem Tuesday against Colorado with seven strikeouts in six innings to win his third straight start. The left-hander finished August at 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA, helping San Francisco stay close at 2 1/2 games behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

Hunter Pence extended his NL-leading hitting streak to 13 games with a third-inning RBI double for the first of his four hits. He doubled again in the fifth and added a seventh-inning triple.

The Brewers lost their season-high fifth straight road game and dropped into a tie for the NL Central lead with St. Louis. It’s the first time since July 20 that they don’t have sole possession of the division lead.

Milwaukee has held at least a share of the lead every day since April 5.

Martin Maldonado homered off Giants reliever George Kontos in the seventh, but the Brewers were swept at AT&T Park for the first time since Aug. 24-26, 2007. Milwaukee was outscored 31-8 in the series. Ryan Braun homered in the eighth.

Kyle Lohse (12-8) allowed seven runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings for his fourth defeat in five decisions.

Backup catcher Andrew Susac was given a start and went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, including a two-run double and an RBI double. Joe Panik had a two-run triple as San Francisco earned its fifth series sweep this year. The Giants have a season-best six-game winning streak at AT&T Park.

The Brewers briefly took a lead in the first when Braun grounded into a run-scoring double play. Bumgarner was unscathed otherwise, allowing five hits with one walk.

San Francisco’s starting pitchers combined for a 1.07 ERA with 57 strikeouts and seven walks on the 6-1 homestand.

“Look where we’re at, we’ve turned it on at the best time of the year,” Bumgarner said. “We’re getting hot and everybody’s doing their part.”

Sandoval tripled to start the second. He walked in a seven-run seventh, his first shot at the cycle. Fans chanted “Double!” but he flied out later in the inning.

Tim Lincecum pitched the eighth and ninth for San Francisco in his first relief outing since he was pulled out of the rotation last Monday.

EXTRA BASES

The Giants’ 10 extra-base hits were their most at their 15-year-old ballpark. They twice had nine. Sunday’s total included six doubles, and it was their first game with 10 extra-base hits at home since Sept. 22, 1998, against the Pirates at Candlestick Park.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Leadoff man and CF Carlos Gomez left in the third with left wrist soreness. X-rays were negative but he’s doubtful for Monday’s game against the Cubs. “Right now it’s a little sore, but it’s been sore the past couple of days and it’s been worse in the past,” said Gomez, who felt it on a follow-through while hitting. … The Brewers will welcome Jonathan Broxton on Monday in Chicago after acquiring the right-handed reliever Sunday from the Reds to serve as an experienced setup man for the stretch run.

Giants: C Buster Posey got the afternoon off, a day after he took a foul tip off the right forearm and also a couple of others Saturday night. “Buster needs a day,” Bochy said. “He’s just got general soreness.” … The Giants transferred C Hector Sanchez (concussion) and INF Ehire Adrianza (hamstring) to the 60-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (2-5, 4.10 ERA) pitches the series opener against the Cubs. He is looking to snap an 0-3 stretch over his last four starts.

Giants: San Francisco will resume its suspended May 22 game with the Rockies at Coors Field, using a new pitcher and lineup because rosters changed for both clubs since that day. The teams will have expanded rosters available, and Bochy wouldn’t say who will pitch first. The game, suspended by weather, is tied 2-all with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the sixth.

“That first game is going to get intriguing,” Bochy said.

SEPTEMBER CALLUPS

After the game, the Giants recalled OF Juan Perez and LHP Mike Kickham from Triple-A Fresno and RHP Hunter Strickland from Double-A Richmond. INF Chris Dominguez and C Guillermo Quiroz had their contracts purchased from Fresno.

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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