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Rays fall 6-5 to Angels when pen blows lead in 9th

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Erik Bedard pitched well enough to win. He even had a three-run lead in the ninth thanks to Desmond Jennings’ home-run-saving catch against C.J. Cron. Then the bullpen made it all go away.

Mike Trout greeted Brad Boxberger with a three-run walkoff homer to cap a four-run rally by the Los Angeles Angels, and the Rays were saddled with a 6-5 loss Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Rays closer Grant Balfour came on in the ninth and walked his first two batters before giving up an RBI single by Collin Cowgill. Trout jumped on a 1-1 pitch from Boxberger (0-1) and drove it into the top tier of the double-decker bullpen in left field for his eighth homer.

“We did a lot of good things to get to where we wanted it to be,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “We had a three-run lead with our closer coming in against their 8 and 9 (in the order), and he walks both those guys and gives up a base hit. … He just got a pitch in a bad spot to Trout.”

The walkoff homer and three RBIs were Trout’s first in the big leagues in both categories.

“I just told myself to be calm and get a pitch to hit,” Trout said. “I was just trying to get a base hit, put a good swing on the ball and it went over the fence,” Trout said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Fernando Salas (3-0) pitched a perfect inning to get the victory.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia won two replay challenges with his team at bat, though the Angels didn’t score in either time.

Angels starter Tyler Skaggs gave up five runs and eight hits in six-plus innings, remaining winless in five starts at Angel Stadium this season with a 6.91 ERA.

Brandon Guyer hit his first home run of the season, helping Bedard take a 4-0 lead into the sixth. The left-hander was charged with two unearned runs and four hits through 5 2-3 innings and struck out five.

“I was throwing strikes, mixing my pitches and getting ahead. That makes it a lot easier,” Bedard said.

Rays first baseman James Loney, playing in on the grass, allowed a two-out grounder by Erick Aybar to get under his glove with runners at the corners in the sixth. Howie Kendrick scored on Loney’s third error of the season, ending a string of 22 consecutive scoreless innings by Tampa Bay pitchers — five short of the franchise record set last September.

Pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez greeted Brandon Gomes with an RBI single before Jake McGee came in and struck out Grant Green. Guyer chased Skaggs with a leadoff homer in the seventh to give Tampa Bay a three-run lead.

“If this is my role the whole year, I’m ready for it,” Guyer said. “And whatever happens happens. I just want to be prepared and do anything I can to help the team.”

In the fourth, Jennings took away Cron’s bid for his third big league homer and first at Angel Stadium with a leaping grab in left-center — two innings after Guyer raced in from left field to make a diving grab of Cron’s Texas Leaguer.

Thanks to Jennings’ catch, Bedard has thrown 46 1-3 consecutive innings without allowing a home run since last Sept. 16, when he was pitching for Houston and gave up a 2-run shot by Cincinnati’s Zack Cozart at Minute Maid Park.

Tampa Bay scored three runs in the sixth. Jimenez, making his fifth start at third base while David Freese remains on the disabled list, went into the hole for Wil Myers’ sixth-inning grounder with Aybar standing right behind Jimenez waiting for the ball. It deflected off Jimenez’s glove and into short left field, and Myers was credited with an RBI double.

Loney, who leads Tampa Bay with 24 RBIs, doubled inside first base two batters later to drive in another run.

“It’s a tough loss, but we’re just got to come back out here tomorrow and keep clawing and grinding,” Guyer said.

NOTES: The Rays put switch-hitting 2B Ben Zobrist on the 15-day DL because of a dislocated left thumb, which he injured on a headfirst slide while trying to steal second base in Wednesday’s 2-0 victory at Seattle. … Rays RHP Alex Cobb, sidelined since April 13 because of an oblique strain on his left side, is scheduled to make a rehab start on Saturday with Class-A Charlotte and will be limited to five innings or 75 pitches.

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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