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Astros blow lead in 9th, lose in 10 to Orioles

By WTOP Staff

TODD KARPOVICH
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Houston Astros were on the verge of one of their best wins of the season before everything unraveled again.

Steve Clevenger hit an RBI double in the 10th inning to give the Baltimore Orioles a 5-4 victory over the Astros on Saturday night. Houston had scored twice in the ninth to take the lead before Baltimore rallied for the win.

The Astros have lost seven of eight. Houston will look to avoid a three-game sweep by the Orioles on Sunday.

“You’ve got to be able to close games out,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “We didn’t get it done.”

J.J. Hardy had an infield single with one out in the 10th before Clevenger hit a double down the right field line off Paul Clemens (0-1).

“I was just battling,” Clemens said. “I couldn’t come in with my fastball at all so that’s bad. I was really looking to get comfortable out there. We didn’t go to off-speed soon enough. I just kept missing with my fastballs and paid for it. I feel responsible. This is a ball game we should win.”

Houston’s Jose Altuve hit a two-out, two RBI single in the ninth inning off Baltimore closer Tommy Hunter that gave the Astros a 4-3 lead.

However, after a 55-minute rain delay, Astros right-hander Anthony Bass loaded the bases with two outs on two singles and a walk before pinch hitter Delmon Young tied the game with an infield single.

“I didn’t let them on,” Hunter said. “I didn’t want them to get on. I actually tried to get them out. They got a couple hits. They got me tonight.”

Ryan Webb (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th for Baltimore, which extend its winning streak to five games

After Nelson Cruz gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead with his 10th home run of the season in the eighth, Hunter entered and allowed a single and double with one out before getting Jonathan Villar to ground into a fielder’s choice preventing a run from scoring.

Altuve then delivered a sharp single to center to give the Astros the lead.

Astros right-hander Collin McHugh allowed two runs and seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks over 6 1-3 innings. After allowing just one run in his opening two starts of the season, McHugh allowed five runs in just four innings May 4 against Seattle.

“Collin did a tremendous job, “Porter said. “He pitched well. He had a sharp breaking ball working. He did a good job of pitching the ball to the inner third of the plate. He put us in position to win the game.”

After losing his previous two starts, Baltimore right-hander Miguel Gonzalez allowed two runs and six hits with six strikeouts and two walks over a season-high seven innings.

The Orioles’ Adam Jones hit his fourth home run and Nick Markakis went 2 for 5 and extended his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest active in the majors.

George Springer went 2 for 4 for Houston and hit his second career home run after getting his first Thursday against Detroit.

With the Orioles trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Hardy led off with a single and then Clevenger also reached when McHugh fell while trying to handle a dribbler. After Steve Pearce singled to load the bases, McHugh allowed the tying run on a wild pitch.

The Orioles could not take the lead despite having runners on second and third with no outs as McHugh and left-hander Tony Sipp got groundouts before Josh Zeid struck out Manny Machado to end the threat.

“Their guy McHugh is impressive,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “You can see why. Their starting pitching has been pretty good the whole year.”

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the second when Springer homered to left off Gonzalez with two outs. Houston increased the margin to 2-0 the next inning when Villar singled to center and then took second when Jones bobbled the ball. Villar stole third and scored on a single by Dexter Fowler.

McHugh was cruising and retired eight consecutive batters before allowing a walk to Pearce in the fifth. Jones homered in the sixth to pull the Orioles to within 2-1. It was the first Orioles’ hit since Clevenger singled in the second.

NOTES: Porter lost a challenge in the seventh when Fowler was out on a close play at first base. It took 1 minute, 16 seconds to confirm the ruling on the field. … Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (strained left oblique) played nine innings and went 1 for 4 in a rehab assignment at Double-A Bowie. He will be evaluated Sunday when he is scheduled to come off the disabled list. … There is no timetable for Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (sore right elbow) to begin throwing. Wieters served as the designated hitter for the past three games. … Astros catcher Jason Castro was back in the lineup Saturday after missing the previous game because of a left forearm bruise. … Houston reliever Matt Albers (right shoulder tendinitis) is eligible to come off the disabled list, Porter said the team will give him a few more days to rest.

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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