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Mariners fall short in 1-0 loss to Rangers

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — In two key situations on Sunday, Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon declined strategic options.

He chose not to call for an intentional walk to Texas’ Adrian Beltre with a runners at first and third and one out in the sixth inning. And then McClendon didn’t ask Mariners rookie James Jones to squeeze home the tying run in a similar situation in the ninth.

Both situations went against Seattle as Beltre hit a sacrifice fly, Jones popped out and the Rangers beat the Mariners 1-0.

McClendon visited starting pitcher James Paxton (5-2) before Beltre’s at-bat, but they didn’t discuss a walk.

“Beltre hit a good pitch up and in,” Paxton said. “Could’ve got it in a little bit more, I think, but he just muscled that ball into the outfield for the sac fly.”

Texas’ Derek Holland (1-0) pitched seven impressive innings in his second start off the disabled list, allowing six hits and no walks while striking out five.

The Rangers snapped an eight-game losing streak and gave interim manager Tim Bogar his first victory in his third game since Ron Washington’s resignation on Friday.

Seattle ended a five-game winning streak and finished a 5-2 road trip.

McClendon used four pinch hitters, two pinch runners, and three relief pitchers to get through the seventh inning.

In the ninth, he let Jones swing instead of bunting. Jones fouled off three two-strike fastballs from Neftali Feliz before popping out.

“I don’t want to play for a tie on the road,” McClendon said. “And I liked the matchup. He gave us a good at-bat. The guy made a good pitch.”

Feliz then retired pinch-hitter Justin Smoak on a fly ball for his eighth save.

Leonys Martin, who had three hits, led off the sixth with his second single and stole second base. Daniel Robertson’s groundout sent Martin to third, and he scored easily on Beltre’s fly to deep center field.

Holland pitched out of trouble in the seventh. Robinson Cano led off with an infield single, his second hit. With two outs, Cano advanced on a passed ball and went to third on Corey Hart’s infield hit. Holland then retired rookie Stefen Romero on a grounder.

“That’s what good pitchers do, they shut them down,” McClendon said, “He’s a proven pitcher. He threw a hell of a game.”

Hart’s hit was the only one with a runner in scoring position for either team. Seattle was 1 for 9 in those situations. Texas was 0 for 7, extending an unproductive streak to 0 for 19.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: McClendon said OFs Dustin Ackley (ankle) and Michael Saunders (strained left oblique) could return Monday. Ackley sat out after leaving Saturday’s game. Saunders has been on the disabled list since July 11.

Rangers: C Robinson Chirinos (stiff neck) missed his seventh straight game. “I hope it turns around pretty quick. We could use him,” Bogar said.

UP NEXT

The Mariners return home to open a three-game series Monday against Houston. RHP Felix Hernandez (14-5, 2.18 ERA) is scheduled to face the Astros. He leads the AL with 24 quality starts and is second in ERA.

Texas is off Monday before opening a three-game series Tuesday against the Angels. RHP Colby Lewis (9-12, 5.42) is the scheduled starter.

ZEROES

The Mariners were blanked for the 16th time. The shutout was Texas’ 17th this season. Both rank second in the American League to Tampa Bay, which has pitched 19 shutouts and been held scoreless 17 times.

RUNNING WILD

Within five outs, four runners were thrown out on the bases.

In the bottom of the third, Texas’ Ryan Rua was on second base when Luis Sardinas hit a ground ball to SS Brad Miller. Rua was tagged in a rundown, and Sardinas was out trying to reach second base. C Jesus Sucre then caught Martin trying to steal second. In the fourth, Cano was out trying to stretch a single into a double.

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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