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Collmenter good again but D-backs lose 2-1 to SF

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

PHOENIX (AP) — Josh Collmenter was very good again, just not quite good enough to beat Jake Peavy and the San Francisco Giants.

Collmenter pitched eight strong innings but the Arizona Diamondbacks lost to the Giants 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Collmenter (10-8) allowed two runs and seven hits in eight innings.

“He was dominating,” catcher Miguel Montero said. “He made good pitches. Even the homer to Buster (Posey) was a good pitch. It was down and in and he just took a really good swing.”

The victory, combined with the Dodgers’ 10-4 loss at Colorado, left the Giants three games behind first-place Los Angeles with 11 to play. San Francisco snapped a three-game losing streak and remained 2 1/2 games ahead of Pittsburgh for the NL’s top wild-card spot.

“Tonight was a big game,” Peavy said. “We had to have it after the way we dropped the last three. I feel very blessed to feel healthy and go out there and be a contributing factor to a team that’s fighting for our lives every day.”

Peavy (6-4), acquired from Boston on July 26, allowed a run and five hits in 7 2-3 innings, striking out four and walking one.

In his last seven starts, he is 6-1 with a 1.13 ERA.

“You’ve got a good feeling each time he steps on the mound,” Posey said.

Santiago Casilla pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 20 opportunities.

The rest of the Giants have trouble with Collmenter’s unorthodox overhand delivery. But not Posey. By going 2 for 4, including a solo homer, his career average against the Arizona right-hander is .611 (11 for 20) with three home runs.

“Who knows?” Posey said when asked to explain it. “Just one of those baseball oddities, I guess.”

Collmenter doesn’t understand it, either.

“I don’t know, maybe the ball looks like a beach ball to him,” Collmenter said. “I am not sure. Up and down, soft and hard, it doesn’t matter. He seems to get the bat on it.”

Posey’s 21st home run of the season put the Giants up 1-0 in the fourth.

“If he hits that out I will give him credit,” Collmenter said. “It was a good pitch.”

The Diamondbacks tied it in the sixth when Chris Owings tripled to deep center and scored on A.J. Pollock’s single.

San Francisco regained the lead for good in the seventh. Hunter Pence and Travis Ishikawa singled, then Brandon Crawford brought Pence home with a sacrifice fly to center.

Crawford had a double and a bunt single to go with his sacrifice fly. Pablo Sandoval had two singles for the Giants. Ender Inciarte singled twice for the Diamondbacks.

ROOKIE ON TOP

Inciarte has made himself at home in the leadoff spot. Since June 22, he has reached base in 59 of 65 games as the leadoff hitter. At home, he’s reached base in 12 straight games, hitting .354 in the process.

GREAT PLAY

Crawford didn’t just help the Giants at the plate. In the ninth, the shortstop ranged far to his left to field Mark Trumbo’s grounder and, falling away as he threw, still got Trumbo out at first on a close play.

“What an athletic play he made there,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “It takes a lot of pressure off Casilla, everybody. That was one of the better plays, with what was on the line, that we’ve had this year.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: CF Angel Pagan missed a second straight game with a sore back. Bochy said Pagan has a bulging disk and is day to day, adding that Pagan might require surgery in the offseason. … 1B Brandon Belt, activated from the disabled list Monday (concussion), was not in the lineup Monday or Tuesday.

Diamondbacks: OF David Peralta remained sidelined with a lower back sprain. He has not played since Sept. 5.

UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner goes for win No. 19 and the Giants try to win their seventh consecutive series at Chase Field. Bumgarner (18-9, 2.19 ERA) has won five straight, compiling a 1.80 ERA in that span with 41 strikeouts and four walks.

Diamondbacks: Manager Kirk Gibson made a late decision to start LHP Andrew Chafin instead of RHP Randall Delgado in Wednesday’s series finale. Chafin will make his second big league start. He pitched five scoreless innings in the second game of a doubleheader in Cleveland on Aug. 13. Delgado was sent back to the bullpen.

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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