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Buck’s 2-run HR powers Seattle past Atlanta 7-5

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — John Buck downplayed his recent power surge against the Braves as simply taking advantage of the odds.

Buck had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh inning that gave Seattle the lead, and the Mariners rallied to beat the Atlanta Braves 7-5 Tuesday night for their fourth straight win.

The homer was Buck’s fourth against the Braves since the start of the 2013 season — including the only three he has hit at Turner Field. No other player has more homers against Atlanta in that span.

Asked about his power surge against the Braves, the 33-year-old catcher shrugged and said he has hit “a couple here and there.”

“You play them enough, you’re bound to get a few,” Buck said.

The Braves led 4-0 in the first inning and 5-2 in the second. Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon was forced to turn the game over to his bullpen after only three innings.

Four Mariners relievers combined for six scoreless innings.

“It was not an ideal win,” McClendon said. “Obviously you don’t want your bullpen to have to cover that many innings, but they did a fantastic job and I don’t think anybody got really stretched. That was the good thing.”

Dominic Leone (2-0) had four strikeouts in two perfect innings.

Buck’s homer, his first of the season, came off Alex Wood (5-6), Atlanta’s third pitcher. The shot to right field drove in Dustin Ackley, who reached on a two-out soft roller down the first-base line.

“We let them hang around and they came back and they got the big hits,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “You’ve got to give them the credit.”

Buck said he started guessing Wood’s pitch selection after the left-hander threw a first-pitch changeup.

“Then he came in with a hard fastball and I said all right, I had that feeling he might come with a changeup,” Buck said. “I looked for it up and I hit it.”

Buck had three hits and scored three runs in only his 14th start this season. He played for the Mets and Pirates in 2013 following two seasons with the Marlins. He has ample experience in Atlanta — but before last year little of it was positive. He began the night with a .150 career batting average at Turner Field.

The Turner Field air, normally thick with humidity, was unusually dry — even if Buck’s teammates still complained about sticky conditions.

“Everybody was complaining about it being humid, but I was like you guys have no idea,” he said. “This place gets to be nasty.”

The drier air helped the teams combine for four homers in the interleague matchup.

Seattle pinch-hitter Stefen Romero hit a three-run homer in the fourth that tied the game 5-all. Evan Gattis and B.J. Upton hit homers for the Braves.

Fernando Rodney had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.

Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma before the game for his seventh start with Seattle, gave up five runs on eight hits, including two homers, in only three innings.

The Braves led 4-0 before Ramirez recorded his second out. Freddie Freeman’s single drove in Jason Heyward, who led off with a double. Gattis followed with a three-run homer, his 12th.

Upton’s second-inning homer to center field gave Atlanta a 5-2 lead.

Gavin Floyd, still looking for his first win in his sixth start with Atlanta, couldn’t hold the lead. A two-base throwing error by third baseman Chris Johnson set up run-scoring singles by Brad Miller and James Jones in the second. Romero’s three-run homer tied the game in the fourth.

Floyd gave up 10 hits and five runs, three earned, in five-plus innings.

NOTES: Cano had three hits. … The Braves are 0-5 in interleague games. … Seattle IF Nick Franklin was optioned to Tacoma. … Braves RHP Jordan Walden, a key setup man on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, threw in the bullpen before batting practice. Walden’s next step will be a minor league rehab assignment. … Rookie 2B Tommy La Stella’s strikeout in the third inning was his first in his 17th at-bat. … Braves LHP Mike Minor will face Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma as the two-game series ends on Wednesday.

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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