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Mets lose to Phils 3-2 in 11 after wasting chances

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The Mets had runners at second and third with none out in the fifth inning and came up empty. Only fitting on a night when they wasted chances in just about every way possible.

New York left 15 on base and lost 3-2 in 11 innings to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday in a game full of missed opportunities.

“You’ve got the infield back; they’re giving you a run,” manager Terry Collins said about the fifth. “All we had to do was put the ball in play.”

Time after time the Mets failed to get the big hit, going 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

The Mets returned home after a 2-6 road trip that ended with a three-game sweep in Miami and a 23-inning scoreless streak. They quickly ended the drought on Curtis Granderson’s RBI double in the first but then reverted to their struggling ways until the eighth, when David Wright doubled in the tying run off Antonio Bastardo.

New York loaded the bases in each of the first two innings against Roberto Hernandez. The Mets also put two runners on in three other innings, including the fifth when shortstop Jimmy Rollins’ errant throw on a potential double-play ball put two in scoring position.

But Josh Satin, starting at first base because Lucas Duda was out with a stomach flu, struck out and newcomer Wilmer Flores also was fanned by Hernandez. Travis d’Arnaud then grounded out to end the threat.

“He was amazing, phenomenal,” Phillies outfielder Marlon Byrd said of Hernandez. “That’s what it’s about, picking up your teammates.”

Byrd certainly did that, driving in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning with an opposite-field double down the right field line.

Chase Utley had three hits and scored all the Phillies’ runs, two on singles by Domonic Brown, to help Philadelphia end a four-game skid and beat the Mets for the first time in six meetings.

Carlos Torres (2-2), the seventh Mets pitcher, gave up a one-out double to Utley and intentionally walked Ryan Howard. Byrd, who played for the Mets last season, reached low and away to send a liner inside the foul line.

“He’s got a great mentality for that. He’s always on the positive side and he’s always up there,” Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. “He’ll grind it out. He’ll grind out a game and that’s what he demonstrates.”

After the big hit by Byrd, the Phillies left the bases loaded in the 11th, only fitting as the teams combined to strand 32 runners on a damp night in a game that took 4 hours, 39 minutes.

Jonathan Papelbon earned his 10th save. Mario Hollands (1-1) got the win.

While the Mets wasted opportunity after opportunity, the Phillies were hardly better in their first game since Toronto swept four from them in a home-and-home interleague series. Philadelphia stranded 17 at Citi Field and couldn’t capitalize on 11 walks — three intentional.

Brown and Utley teamed in the third and fifth against Jenrry Mejia to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.

Utley led off the third with a double and advanced to third base on Howard’s fly to left field. After a walk to Byrd, Brown fisted a soft liner the opposite way to left to tie it 1-all.

Brown drove in Utley in the fifth with another hit dunked into left field.

Mejia gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. He walked three, hit a batter with a pitch and struck out four.

“He kept the damage to a minimum, even though he had deep pitch counts, even though he had walked some guys,” Collins said. “When he had to he made some pretty good pitches. They did not hit him hard.”

Mets fans got excited in the third when Mejia’s weak fly to left looked as though it had a chance of dropping. Instead, a charging Brown made the catch to leave New York pitchers 0 for 59 this season.

NOTES: Flores went 2 for 5 and left five on base. … The Mets said they plan to call up INF-OF Eric Campbell from Triple-A Las Vegas before Saturday night’s game. … New York Jets QB Geno Smith spoke with 150 students as part of the Mets Citi Kids program, then threw out the ceremonial first pitch. … LSU coach Les Miles talked football with Wright before the game. … Up next: Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 3.58 ERA) vs. Mets RHP Dillon Gee (3-1, 2.51) on Saturday night.

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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