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Mariners rout Angels, gain ground in playoff race

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Seattle’s moribund offense finally broke through against the Los Angeles Angels’ vaunted bullpen, which gave up 10 runs in two innings midway through the game.

Mike Zunino’s two-run double keyed a four-run fifth, and the Mariners climbed within a game of the second AL wild-card spot by routing the AL West leaders 13-2 on Tuesday night.

Seattle broke it open with six runs in the sixth. The 13 runs tied a season high, and were one fewer than the Mariners had in their previous eight games combined.

“When you’re not scoring runs, it lingers. Hopefully, this will loosen us up,” Zunino said. “We’ve been the same team the whole year. We know we’re going to rely heavily on pitching and defense. And when the bats get hot, that’s when everything’s going to click. Tonight guys had good at-bats. Hopefully, today was a big building block and we can carry that on the next couple of weeks.”

The Mariners haven’t been to the postseason since 2001, when they won 116 games under manager Lou Piniella and tied the major league mark set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs.

“Given what Seattle was going through the last 10-12 years, if I’d have said leaving spring training that on Sept. 16 we’d be two games out of the wild card, would you take it?” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “I don’t think there’s anybody associated with the Seattle Mariners who would have said no.”

One night after becoming the first team in the majors to secure a playoff trip, the Angels lost for only the fourth time in 21 games. But their magic number for clinching the AL West went down to two because of Oakland’s 6-3 loss to Texas.

The Athletics still lead the wild-card race by a game over Kansas City, which has a one-game edge on the Mariners for the final postseason berth in the AL.

“You have to keep things in perspective and look at the big picture,” McClendon said. “My guys have had a fantastic run. We don’t want to look back down that road because it was a little shaky at times, but we can see the finish line and we’re going to keep charging ahead.”

Carson Smith (1-0) earned his first major league victory with two innings of hitless relief in his fifth appearance. Mariners starter Roenis Elias allowed two runs and five hits in three-plus innings before leaving due to elbow stiffness with a 2-0 deficit.

This was the fifth time in Elias’ last six starts that his teammates failed to score while he was in the game. The rookie left-hander hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last 10 outings, but is only 3-4 during that stretch.

Angels righty Cory Rasmus, making his fourth start since Garrett Richards went down with a season-ending knee injury on Aug. 20, made 42 pitches through four innings and retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced. The only blemish was a leadoff single by Kyle Seager in the second.

Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia has used a committee approach to get through all five starts Richards has missed, and the Angels were 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA in the other three games in which Rasmus led the way.

“I’d like to do all I can, but I guess that’s all I’m doing for now,” Rasmus said. “At the end of the day, it’s their decision on what they feel if I get tired, look a little tired or whatever. Today, I was just kind of cruising. I was pretty efficient throughout the four innings I threw, and that made it a little better on my body.”

Jason Grilli replaced Rasmus in the fifth with a 2-0 lead and gave up a two-run double by Zunino, ending an 0-for-18 drought by the Mariners with runners in scoring position. Chris Taylor chased Grilli with an RBI double and Dustin Ackley capped the rally with another run-scoring double against Mike Morin.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Rookie RHP Matt Shoemaker, removed from Monday night’s 8-1 win after 7 2-3 innings, is expected to miss at least one turn in the rotation because of a mild strain on his left side. Shoemaker is 16-4 with a 3.04 ERA. … Josh Hamilton returned to the lineup, batting sixth as the DH. He went 1 for 3 after missing 11 games because of an injured right shoulder.

UP NEXT

Mariners: James Paxton (6-2, 1.83 ERA) threw seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball against the Angels in his season debut and beat them again six days later. But he didn’t pitch again for Seattle until Aug. 2, after missing more than 3 1/2 months because of a strained muscle in his left side.

Angels: C.J. Wilson (12-9, 4.61) has a 6.64 ERA in 13 starts since June 19 — the last time he pitched seven full innings. He went five innings last Friday against Houston and left with a 3-2 deficit, but got credit for an 11-3 win after his teammates got him off the hook with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth.

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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