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Odorizzi wins, but Rays lose Zobrist vs Mariners

By WTOP Staff

SEATTLE (AP) — Jake Odorizzi did his job on the mound backing up what David Price did the previous night for Tampa Bay.

It got overshadowed by the concern for how long the Rays could be without All-Star second baseman Ben Zobrist.

Odorizzi pitched one-hit ball, but the Rays lost Zobrist to a dislocated thumb during a 2-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

Zobrist’s injury isn’t considered serious. But the Rays are not sure whether he’ll end up on the disabled list or be able to play through the injury. Rays manager Joe Maddon said the club would likely make a decision on Thursday after seeing how the thumb responds.

“We’re getting different opinions. I think a lot of it has to do with how sore he is tomorrow, how swollen and sore,” Maddon said. “That could indicate DL. That could indicate maybe not.”

Zobrist hurt his left thumb on a headfirst slide while trying to steal second base in the fifth and yelled in pain.

The valuable all-purpose player jammed himself into the bag after being tagged out, walked off the field holding his hand and later had his thumb adjusted back into place. Zobrist said having the thumb put back in hurt more than jamming it originally.

X-rays to check if there was a fracture were negative.

“I guess best case scenario is it heals very quickly and I can get back on the field, maybe within a week,” Zobrist said. “That’s unlikely I think and I think they’re trying to decide whether I need to go on the DL or not. We’ll see what decision is made.”

Odorizzi (2-3) picked up his first win since the opening week of the season, teaming with three relievers on a combined two-hitter.

Odorizzi allowed only two baserunners, both on walks, and then retired 12 straight batters before James Jones broke up the no-hit bid with a two-out single in the sixth.

Odorizzi struck out Stefan Romero to end the sixth, his eighth, but his pitch count was at 95. Odorizzi said he knew he had a no-hitter going but realized it was a long time before it could become reality.

“If I would have gotten through that sixth inning there are still nine outs to go. That’s a lot of outs. I don’t think you really think about it until it’s like the eighth inning and you have an out or two,” Odorizzi said. “The hit we gave up was on the pitch we wanted too.”

With the Rays bullpen rested after Price’s complete game the night before, Maddon ended Odorizzi’s day after six innings. Jake McGee walked Robinson Cano to open the seventh, but got Justin Smoak to ground into a double play.

Joel Peralta worked around a one-out double by Dustin Ackley in the eighth, helped by a questionable strikeout of John Buck when he was called out by first base umpire Lance Barksdale on a check swing. That set off Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon. His argument led to his second ejection of the season and left a fan with a souvenir after McClendon threw his hat into the stands.

“It is what it is,” McClendon said. “You write what you saw. If I tell it, I get fined.”

Grant Balfour worked the ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.

Brandon Maurer (1-2) and the Seattle bullpen held the Rays to three hits, but Tampa Bay scored twice in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk to Yunel Escobar and a wild pitch that scored Wil Myers.

Maurer failed to make it through that inning after losing command. With a runner already on base, Maurer issued three straight two-out walks to Myers, Brandon Jennings and the last to Escobar that forced in a run.

Reliever Dominic Leone almost immediately threw a wild pitch that scored Myers.

NOTES: Rays won consecutive games for first time since May 1-2. … Seattle LHP James Paxton (back) threw a 52-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday. Paxton hopes to throw a simulated game this weekend on the road. … Seattle SS Brad Miller committed his seventh error. He had seven errors in 68 games at SS last season.

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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