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Dominguez single in 9th lifts Astros over Rangers

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — The Texas Rangers got a solid start on Wednesday night from Nick Tepesch, who was thrust into action because of mounting injuries in the rotation.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, the bullpen couldn’t build on his work in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros.

Matt Dominguez hit an RBI single off the right-field wall in the ninth inning to help the Astros win a series against their in-state rivals for the first time since 2008.

The Astros took two of three after losing 15 straight series to the Rangers. Houston overcame a four-run deficit to win.

Tepesch allowed one run and two hits in 5 1-3 innings, striking out eight in his season debut in the majors. He was called up from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day.

Tepesch is the ninth different pitcher to start for the injury-plagued Rangers this season, which is tied with the Chicago White Sox for most in the majors.

“He did a good job. He really did,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “He got us into the sixth inning and we had the pieces in the bullpen that we wanted in the game. We just didn’t shut them down.”

Tepesch thought he pitched OK, but is looking to improve.

“I was not getting ahead early and struggling with command early a little bit, but it did get better toward the end,” he said.

The Rangers used four relievers after his exit and all but Neal Cotts gave up at least one run.

“They just got us, and that’s all I can say,” Washington said. “They earned it.”

Dexter Fowler singled with one out in the ninth, Jason Castro drew a walk and Dominguez hit a long fly ball off Nick Martinez (0-1).

“Left the ball up that last pitch,” Martinez said. “Got deep in the count and left the fastball about belt high, so things happen. You have to learn from your mistakes.”

Chad Qualls (1-1) got the last two outs in the ninth for the win.

Alex Rios hit a solo homer, Adrian Beltre had three hits and Prince Fielder drove in two runs for Texas.

The Astros trailed 4-0 before scoring two runs in the sixth. Rookie George Springer tied it with a two-run homer in the seventh.

Jose Altuve singled to start the seventh before Springer launched his third career home run — and first at home — into the back of the seats in the Crawford Boxes in left field to make it 4-all.

A pair of walks and a single by Dominguez loaded the bases for Houston with one out in the sixth inning. Pinch-hitter Jesus Guzman cut the lead to 4-1 with an RBI single to shallow center and Chris Carter drove another run home with his single that dropped just inside the left-field line.

Rios gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the second. Fielder hit the third of three straight singles to send a run home and make it 2-0 in the third.

Elvis Andrus doubled to start the fifth inning and scored on a broken-bat single by Beltre to push the lead to 3-0. Fielder followed with an RBI double.

Scott Feldman allowed a season-high 10 hits with four runs in five innings.

NOTES: Andrus extended his hitting streak to 11 games. … Both teams are off on Thursday before Houston opens a series with the White Sox and Texas plays Toronto. … The Rangers put LHPs Matt Harrison (back inflammation) and Martin Perez (left elbow inflammation) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Miles Mikolas and Tepesch from Triple-A to take their spots on the roster. … Texas INF Donnie Murphy (neck strain) and LHP Joe Saunders (stress fracture in left ankle) will start rehabilitation assignments with Round Rock on Thursday. … Houston put RHP Anthony Bass (right intercostal strain) on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 11, and recalled RHP Josh Fields from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

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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