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Jaso’s HR, double power A’s past Nats 4-3 in 10

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Having discovered his power stroke at the Oakland Coliseum, Athletics catcher John Jaso was more impressed by the ball he hit that didn’t leave the park than he was by his second home run in as many days.

That might be because it came in the 10th inning and gave Oakland its third walk-off win of the season.

Jaso doubled in pinch-runner Nick Punto with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the A’s to a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.

Jaso, who had not hit a home run in Oakland until his solo shot in Friday’s 8-0 win, also homered in the third before delivering the fourth game-ending hit of his career.

“It’s funny because I thought that last ball I hit I hit harder than the other two and it hung up for some reason,” Jaso said. “I don’t know if the wind shifted, but I thought I hit it harder than the other two.”

After being limited to two hits over the first eight innings, the A’s scored twice in the ninth off Nationals’ closer Rafael Soriano to force extras and storm back for their third walk-off win this season.

Alberto Callaspo singled off reliever Drew Storen (2-1) to lead off the 10th before Punto replaced him at first. Storen retired Eric Sogard and Derek Norris before Jaso hit a towering fly ball that ricocheted off the scoreboard in right field as Punto rounded the bases and scored.

“Sometimes certain guys come up key in games when you don’t get many hits,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “(Jaso) did most of the damage. When you get down to those situations, it just becomes a grind.”

The Nationals were three outs from winning and had their rock-solid closer on the mound before Oakland greeted Soriano with three consecutive hits to open the ninth.

Jaso singled and scored on Jed Lowrie’s double. Josh Donaldson followed with a line drive single to drive in Jaso with the tying run.

“Going into the ninth with a two-run lead and a guy that hasn’t given up a run in 25 innings and it doesn’t happen for you, it’s disappointing,” Washington manager Matt Williams said. “That’s baseball.”

It was Soriano’s first blown save since Aug. 17, 2013, and ended his career-high streak of 25 consecutive scoreless innings.

That spoiled a stellar outing by Washington starter Tanner Roark.

Coming off the worst start of his season, Roark was masterful while shutting down the A’s offense. He allowed two hits over 7 2-3 innings, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. He gave up Jaso’s two-out home run in the third before retiring the next 13.

The Nationals backed him with just enough offense until the bullpen broke down.

Danny Espinosa hit a towering home run off Oakland starter Sonny Gray with one out in the third to give the Nats an early lead. Zach Walters and Denard Span followed with singles before Kevin Frandsen lined a two-run double to the gap in left-center to make it 3-0.

Jaso’s two-out home run off Roark in the bottom of the third trimmed Washington’s lead to 3-1.

“It’s strange how a pitcher can get on a roll like (Roark) did and everything we put in play was caught,” Jaso said. “Those kind of days, that’s when you want to get into the bullpen and change the momentum.”

Roark left with two outs in the eighth after a throwing error by Espinosa allowed Reddick to take third. Roark fielded Eric Sogard’s grounder cleanly, but his throw to first hit Reddick in the back of the helmet and ricocheted near the Nationals dugout.

Tyler Clippard replaced Roark and retired pinch-hitter Derek Norris before the A’s rallied for the tying runs off Soriano.

Sean Doolittle (1-2) pitched one inning for the win to help Oakland overcome an uneven outing by Gray.

Gray, the AL pitcher of the month in April, struck out three and walked two. He allowed six hits over seven innings and gave up all of Washington’s runs in the third

NOTES: Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche (quad strain) is headed for the disabled list after aggravating the injury on Friday. … Injured slugger Ryan Zimmerman (right thumb fracture) has not yet resumed hitting and is scheduled to have another X-ray on Sunday. … Oakland LHP Scott Kazmir (4-1) pitches the series finale after taking the loss in his previous outing. … Former A’s starter Gio Gonzalez (3-2) goes for Washington. Gonzalez won 15 and 16 games for Oakland in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

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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