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Reddick, Moss homer in A’s 11-0 win over White Sox

By WTOP Staff

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Now that he’s a key part of the Athletics starting rotation, Drew Pomeranz has tried to maintain the same aggressive approach on the mound that he had coming out of the bullpen.

It’s turned out better than anyone could have hoped for so far.

Making his second start of the season after replacing Dan Straily as Oakland’s fourth starter, Pomeranz and three relievers combined on a four-hit shutout as the A’s beat the Chicago White Sox 11-0 Tuesday night for their sixth consecutive win.

“That’s that mentality, I’m kind of just trying to go right after people,” Pomeranz said. “That’s what I was doing out of the bullpen and I had success doing that. I don’t see any reason to change that.”

Pomeranz (3-1) went five shutout innings in his first start on May 7 and matched that with another stellar five-inning outing against Chicago. The Athletics’ left-hander struck out a career-high eight, walked two and gave up just three hits — all singles.

“That’s a tough lineup to navigate through,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “He strikes out the first three hitters of the game, sets the tone, and then the offense was terrific across the board.”

Brandon Moss homered twice and drove in five runs, Josh Reddick also homered while Yoenis Cespedes added two hits and scored twice to anchor a shuffled Oakland lineup that had catcher John Jaso batting leadoff for just the fourth time this season. Jaso had three hits and scored twice.

The White Sox lost their fourth straight.

“Guys swung through some pitches and (Pomeranz) pounded the strike zone,” Chicago manager Robin Venture said. “We got outplayed all the way around. Nothing went right.”

Oakland improved to 25-15, matching its best record after 40 games since 2003.

The A’s won their second straight over the White Sox in much the same fashion they’ve put together the second-best record in the AL — strong starting pitching and plenty of offense.

Pomeranz, who replaced Dan Straily in the A’s rotation after Straily was optioned to the minors, blanked the White Sox through five innings and allowed only two runners to reach second base. He struck out the side twice and fanned leadoff hitter Marcus Semien three times.

Dan Otero pitched two innings, Fernando Abad worked the eighth and Joe Savery handled the ninth to complete the four-hitter.

That continued a stellar streak by Oakland starting pitchers. Over a six-game stretch that began when Pomeranz helped blank the Seattle Mariners, A’s starters are 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA.

“I think we feed off of each other,” Pomeranz said. “You want to keep it going. You don’t want to be the guy that doesn’t pitch well.”

The offense has been just as sharp. The A’s matched their season-high with 17 hits and had at least three home runs for the fourth time this season.

Reddick hit a two-run home run as part of the A’s four-run fifth while Moss had a two-run shot in the sixth and another two-run homer in the eighth.

Eight of Oakland’s nine starters had at least one hit. Reddick, Moss, Cespedes, Jed Lowrie and Craig Gentry had two apiece.

The A’s jumped on Chicago starter Scott Carroll (1-3) early then held on behind Pomeranz and the bullpen.

“(Carroll) was mixing his pitches but when you’re throwing a lot of strikes (hitters) can be aggressive with pitches in the zone,” Moss said. “That’s what our guys were doing. Those kind of nights are fun four everybody.”

NOTES: 3B Josh Donaldson was given the day off by Oakland manager Bob Melvin. … A’s LHP Eric O’Flaherty threw 25 pitches in the latest step on his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Trainers allowed O’Flaherty to throw breaking balls for the first time since having the surgery. … RHP Ryan Cook (forearm strain) is pain-free but has yet to resume throwing. … Chicago LHP Chris Sale, on the disabled list since April 22 with a left flexor strain, will make his first rehab start Thursday for Triple-A Charlotte. … RHP Andre Rienzo (3-0) starts the series finale for the White Sox in his first career appearance against the Athletics. LHP Tommy Milone (1-3) goes for Oakland.

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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