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Kershaw goes 6 strong, Dodgers beat Phillies 2-0

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Clayton Kershaw couldn’t wait to take the ball after a rough outing.

Kershaw allowed two hits over six innings, Carl Crawford hit a solo homer and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 on Friday night.

Kershaw (3-1) bounced back from his worst start in two years with an excellent performance, striking out nine. The two-time Cy Young Award winner allowed seven runs in 1 2-3 innings — the second-shortest outing of his career — in an 18-7 loss to Arizona last Saturday.

“I was kind of miserable for four, five days,” Kershaw said. “It was no fun sitting on a game like that.”

Roberto Hernandez (2-2) allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings in his first start since May 9. Hernandez pitched out of the bullpen the past two weeks because the Phillies didn’t need a fifth starter.

The Dodgers have won three of four. The Phillies have lost three in a row, tying their season low of five games under .500.

Four relievers combined to finish off the three-hitter. Brian Wilson had a perfect eighth and Kenley Jansen closed it out for his 14th save in 15 tries.

Dee Gordon led off the game with a single, stole two bases and scored on Yasiel Puig’s single. Crawford led off the second with a drive out to right-center for his fourth homer of the year.

“I’m just trying to get on base,” said Gordon, who played on this field as a kid when his father, Tom Gordon, was the Phillies’ closer. “There are some guys with big numbers hitting behind me.”

After a 43-minute rain delay in the top of the fourth, the Phillies wasted several opportunities with runners in scoring position the rest of the game. They had runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth after Carlos Ruiz walked and Chase Utley hit a double, the first hit off Kershaw.

But the hard-throwing lefty escaped the jam by striking out Marlon Byrd, Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf. Each went down swinging at pitches in the dirt that required catcher A.J. Ellis to throw to first.

They had runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth, but Utley flied out, Byrd fouled out and Howard struck out looking.

“Kershaw did the job when he needed to and we didn’t,” Byrd said.

Reliever Brandon League replaced Kershaw to start the seventh and left after loading the bases. J.P. Howell entered and retired pinch-hitter Domonic Brown on a sinking liner that Crawford caught sliding. Ben Revere inexplicably didn’t tag up and stayed at third. Jimmy Rollins then grounded into a third-to-home fielder’s choice. Ruiz flied out to right to end the threat.

“He got a little break on Brown’s liner, but he did a good job,” manager Don Mattingly said of Howell.

The Phillies were shut out for the sixth time, including fifth at home. They 8-13 at Citizens Bank Park.

Kershaw has won 13 straight decisions against NL East opponents since 2011. He has a 1.30 ERA in 17 starts in that span and has a 29 innings scoreless streak vs. the East.

“I remembered how to get people out,” Kershaw said.

NOTES: League still hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 15 appearances, spanning 21 1-3 innings. … Dodgers SS Erisbel Arruebarrena made his major league debut, giving Hanley Ramirez a rest. He was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts.. … Dodgers CF Matt Kemp wasn’t in the starting lineup a day after Mattingly expressed concern over the former All-Star’s defense. Kemp missed 145 games over the previous two seasons because of injuries. … Phillies first-base coach Juan Samuel was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning. It wasn’t obvious why he was upset. … Cesar Hernandez made his first start at 3B for the Phillies. … Phillies RHP David Buchanan makes his major league debut Saturday afternoon in place of the injured Cliff Lee. Dan Haren (5-2, 3.18) goes for the Dodgers.

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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