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Haren gives up 2 HRs, Dodgers fall 4-1 to Chicago

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A year ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers appeared hopelessly out of the postseason picture. Then they promoted a wide-eyed 22-year-old Cuban prospect named Yasiel Puig. The team suddenly took off with a 42-8 surge and won the NL West title going away.

Tuesday was the one-year anniversary of Puig’s major league debut, and the Dodgers find themselves in the same unenviable predicament — trailing the division-leading San Francisco Giants by seven games and treading water with a 31-29 record following their 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

“We’re struggling to put a few wins together, but we’re not down. We’re still optimistic,” catcher Drew Butera said. “I think it’s going to take just a few lucky breaks for us to really get things going.”

Dan Haren (5-4) pitched six innings and gave up four runs on six hits, including a two-run homer by Jose Abreu in the first and a solo shot by Tyler Flowers in the fourth.

“We know he’s got a few different weapons,” Flowers said. “And even though he doesn’t throw overly hard, he changes speeds well and can make the ball move in every direction. So you kind of pick a half of the plate and stick with that. Even that’s a challenge because of his cutter, slider and his split. But we just jumped on the right pitches.”

Abreu drove in another run with a groundout in the third. The big first baseman is this year’s Cuban rookie sensation. Puig was last year’s, and he’s been even better so far this season — even if he is still sometimes a bit unpredictable on and off the field.

The 23-year-old right fielder was tardy for an earlier-than-usual pregame workout with his teammates. But unlike opening day, when manager Don Mattingly scratched him from the lineup for being late for batting practice, Puig remained in the third spot in the order and doubled his first time up. He finished 2 for 4 with a double.

Hector Noesi (1-3) ended a stretch of 19 winless starts, winning in that role for the first time since May 6, 2012, with Seattle after going 0-12 with a 5.42 ERA. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed a run and five hits over six innings with six strikeouts and four walks.

Noesi walked three of his first nine batters, but all the Dodgers could get out of it was a sacrifice fly in the second inning by Dee Gordon.

“He was effectively wild and didn’t really give us much to hit,” Butera said. “He had a really good changeup, which is his pitch, and he threw it in fastball counts. When we were sitting on the fastball, he didn’t really give us the same look on any one fastball. Some of them run in and some cut away, and he mixed them in with that changeup.”

Former Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.

“I think tonight he was a little fired up and had some adrenaline going,” Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. “That’s what happens anytime a guy goes back and sees his former team. But he’s been great for us. He’s started out as a multiple-inning guy, and now he’s a closer. He hasn’t pitched for a few days, so it was nice to get him in there.”

Abreu put Haren in a 2-0 hole right away with his team-high 17th homer into the lower seats in the left field corner, after Gordon Beckham doubled off the top of the fence in left. On Monday, Abreu came off the disabled list and opened the scoring with a two-run shot against Clayton Kershaw before the Dodgers rallied with five unearned runs to win 5-2.

Haren, who has walked no more than two batters in 11 of his 12 starts, issued a leadoff walk to Adam Eaton in the third and he scored on Abreu’s fielder’s choice grounder. Flowers increased the margin to 3-1 in the fourth with his 27th big league homer — and his first to the opposite field.

Haren had a chance to help himself out at the plate in the bottom half with runners at the corners. But Beckham robbed him of a hit with a diving catch of his line drive toward the middle of the diamond, and Gordon struck out.

NOTES: On the eve of the Los Angeles Kings’ showdown with the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, former Dodger 3B Ron Cey said he would be rooting against the Rangers because they eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. Cey’s nickname has always been “The Penguin” because of the way he ran the bases. … Puig was named NL Player of the Month for May, after batting .398 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 28 games. His 43 hits tied Willie Davis’ L.A. Dodger record for that month. Puig received the same honor last June. … The Dodgers put two men on base with two out in the seventh and eighth innings, but Zack Putnam escaped both threats by retiring Adrian Gonzalez and Gordon on flyballs to center field.

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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