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Astros can’t solve King Felix, M’s top Houston

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — For the second time in three days, Houston could not solve the ace of a pitching staff.

First it was the Angels’ Jered Weaver. On Friday night, it was Seattle’s ace Felix Hernandez.

“This is the big leagues. If you want to play here and you want to compete here, those are the guys that are here,” Houston manager Bo Porter said. “They aren’t going to say, ‘we’re not going to throw those guys against you.'”

Hernandez struck out nine over eight strong innings for his third straight victory, and the Astros’ offensive slide continued in a 6-1 loss to the Mariners. Houston has scored three runs in its past three games and provided little help to Rudy Owens, who pitched adequately in his major league debut.

“We just couldn’t muster anything offensively against Felix and that was pretty much the difference in the ball game,” Porter said.

Owens was called up last minute from Triple-A Oklahoma City to get the starter after Brad Peacock was skipped due to soreness in his forearm. Despite the late notice, Owens’ family was able to make the trip up from Phoenix to see him make his debut.

“I knew it was going to come. I put in all the hard work. I guess I needed to get a lucky break,” Owens said. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a frustrating road to say the least but I’m happy the way things worked out.”

After struggling through the first inning, Owens settled down. He kept Houston within 3-1 heading into the sixth despite allowing a baserunner in every inning.

The game got away from Owens (0-1) in just a couple of pitches. After giving up a double to Mike Zunino, Owens watched Willie Bloomquist hit the first pitch out for a two-run homer and a 5-1 Seattle lead. He got James Jones, but was lifted after giving up a two-out walk to Stefan Romero.

Owens allowed nine hits and five runs in his debut. His reward? A trip back to Oklahoma City. Owens was optioned back to Triple-A after the game and Brett Oberholtzer was recalled to make the start on Saturday.

“I will definitely work on my curveball. I was pitching without that today and it’s hard to miss bats,” Owens said. “My curveball wasn’t there for me. I’ve got to get back on the hill and work on it.”

The one batter Hernandez could not solve was Jose Altuve, who improved to 8-for-16 all-time against Seattle’s ace. Altuve had an RBI single in the third, doubled in the fifth and lined a single off Hernandez’s left calf in the eighth. Hernandez stayed in and started an inning-ending double play from Dexter Fowler to finish off the eighth.

It was the second straight start Hernandez pitched eight innings.

“Felix was pretty darn good tonight in a lot of different ways,” Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. “Certainly with his pitch count he was very efficient and he fielded the ball with his glove and his leg.”

Bloomquist drove in three runs, but the highlight was his first long ball since Aug. 10, 2011, when he was playing for Arizona, a span of 626 at-bats. Bloomquist’s homer came on the first pitch after Zunino had doubled off the top of the wall, missing a homer by inches.

Bloomquist rounded the bases with a wry smile on his face and appeared to be catching plenty of grief in the dugout for the long lapse between homers. His last homer also came against Houston — when the Astros were still a National League team — and led off the bottom of the first inning.

“I know it’s been a while,” Bloomquist said. “That’s not my swing, but I’ll take them when they come if they ever come.”

NOTES: Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker (shoulder) threw a three-inning simulated game Friday and said he feels ready to go out on a rehab assignment. Walker has not pitched in a game this season. … Houston OF George Springer was held out of the lineup for second straight day after injuring his hip on Wednesday. … Jones’ hitting streak extended to 13 games with infield single in the fourth.

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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