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Mariners get 1 hit, lose 5-0 to West champ Angels

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Seattle Mariners were powerless to stop the Los Angeles Angels from clinching a playoff spot and the AL West title over the past three days.

They can only hope their wild-card hopes still have some life after their latest punchless loss to the division champions.

C.J. Wilson and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, and the Angels clinched the AL West about an hour after their 5-0 victory over Seattle on Wednesday night.

Rookie left-hander James Paxton (6-3) yielded four hits and had eight strikeouts for the Mariners, who have lost six of eight in the middle of a playoff race. Seattle fell two games behind Kansas City and Oakland for the second AL wild card.

“It’s tough, but games like this happen,” Paxton said. “That’s just the way baseball works. Sometimes the other teams get the breaks. We just put this game behind us, come out here tomorrow, put our best on the field. There’s time left here for us to gain some ground on those guys. It’s not over ’til it’s over.”

Paxton matched Wilson in a pitchers’ duel until the seventh, when the Angels mounted a five-run rally. Howie Kendrick scored the first run from first base when Chris Denorfia misplayed David Freese’s single to right for an error, and C.J. Cron followed later with a three-run homer off Danny Farquhar.

The major league-leading Angels (95-57) wrapped up their first division crown since 2009 when Oakland lost to Texas. The Angels watched the game in their clubhouse, and the Mariners had left the building by the time the champs took the field to celebrate with their fans.

“They’ve won so many games in such a short amount of time, and it’s really a credit to every guy,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who won his sixth AL West title in the last 11 seasons. “We’re going to enjoy the champagne and then go try to win tomorrow.”

Wilson (13-9) earned his third straight victory in intimidating fashion, striking out seven and allowing just Justin Smoak’s single and three walks in a major improvement from recent starts. He escaped his only jam in the seventh, stranding two runners.

Paxton kept the Mariners in contention until his teammates made two errors and Farquhar flopped in the seventh inning.

After Kendrick’s one-out single, Denorfia thought about diving to catch Freese’s drive, but instead pulled up and allowed it to roll past him to the right-field wall. Austin Jackson then double-clutched the ball while retrieving it, and Kendrick scored easily.

“It’s a tough play,” Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. “But first of all, you’ve got to give C.J. Wilson a lot of credit. He matched Paxton pitch for pitch. They were outstanding. I thought Paxton threw a heck of a ballgame for 6 2-3 (innings), and then things fell apart for us.”

Farquhar relieved Paxton with two outs and two runners on, but Cron mashed his 11th homer into the fake rock pile behind center field. Kole Calhoun followed with an RBI double as the Angels batted around.

Paxton was even more dominant than Wilson, retiring 17 of the Angels’ first 18 hitters. Paxton allowed only two bouncing singles in the first six innings while striking out Mike Trout three times.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: LHP Roenis Elias headed back to Seattle for an MRI after feeling stiffness in his elbow. McClendon said Elias is probably done for the season.

Angels: Josh Hamilton was out of the starting lineup after feeling a bit sore following his return from a shoulder injury Tuesday. The cleanup hitter likely wouldn’t have started anyway against a tough left-hander.

UP NEXT

Two aces meet in the series finale when Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez (14-5, 2.14 ERA) takes on Jered Weaver (17-8, 3.50).

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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