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Miscues costly for Mets in 2-1 loss to Cubs

By WTOP Staff

JOHN JACKSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — David Wright was able to recover after bobbling a grounder and get an out at first base, so technically there was no error on the play.

But you won’t convince the New York Mets third baseman that his miscue in the ninth inning — one of several missed opportunities in the game — wasn’t a major factor in his team blowing a late lead in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

“We gave this away,” Wright said. “Obviously, not being able to get that lead runner in the ninth, and then we had numerous chances to put that team away.

“We couldn’t do it. Any time you put that many runners in scoring position and you only come away with one (run), that kind of gets the momentum back on their side and they were able to take advantage of it late.”

Nate Schierholtz hit a two-out game-ending RBI single, after Chris Coghlan homered to tie it in the eighth.

Curtis Granderson had three hits for the Mets and drove in their run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning. The Mets fell short of winning a season-high fourth straight game.

Cubs reliever Hector Rondon (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.

The Mets left nine men on base in the first five innings, including three in the third inning, when they came up empty despite loading the bases with none out.

“The third inning we let get away from us and that came back to hurt us,” New York manager Terry Collins said.

Anthony Rizzo led off the bottom of the ninth with a single off Mets reliever Scott Rice (1-2). Starlin Castro then hit a grounder right at Wright, which seemed a surefire double-play ball off the bat. But the bobble ended those hopes and Wright could only throw to first base for an out as Rizzo took second.

“It bounced a little higher than I thought it would and got me in the heel of the glove,” Wright said. “That was that.”

Rice then struck out Luis Valbuena — which would have ended the inning if the double play was made — but Schierholtz stroked an 0-2 pitch into right field to score the winning run.

“In that situation, I just want to put the ball in play,” he said. “Anything can happen off the bat. I wasn’t sure where the right fielder was playing so it just hit me when I was rounding first.

“It was a lot of fun today.”

Mets starter Zack Wheeler pitched 6 2-3 scoreless innings and was in line for the victory until Josh Edgin gave up a leadoff home run to Coghlan to tie the game and snap a 15-inning scoreless streak for Chicago. It was the left-hand hitting Coghlan’s first homer against a lefty pitcher since 2010.

“He got the ball up,” Collins said of Edgin. “Four sliders in a row, or whatever it was, he wanted to run a fastball and he just got it up and out over the plate.”

After only giving up one run in 6 1-3 innings to the Phillies on Thursday, Wheeler gave the Mets another strong outing. He had little trouble against an overmatched Chicago offense. He allowed two hits, while striking out seven and only allowing two walks. The 24-year old right-hander did not allow a runner past first base.

“I thought his location was outstanding,” Collins said. “He didn’t have his best stuff, but he moved the ball around and I was very impressed with the way he pitched.

“That’s what good pitchers do. You’re only going to have your good stuff 10 times, 15 times a year and then you have to learn how to pitch when you don’t have that. Today he showed us he can do that.”

NOTES: Mets RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled to make his second start of the season on Wednesday. Left-handed batters are hitting just .093 (4 for 43) against Matsuzaka. … Cubs top minor prospect Javier Baez is hitting .219 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs for Triple-A Iowa. He is in a 1-for-12 slump. … Cubs 3B prospect Kris Bryant is batting .351 with 18 home runs and 49 RBIs for Double-A Tennessee. … Cubs placed C Welington Castillo on the 15-day disabled list because of a rib injury and designated relief pitcher Jose Veras for assignment.

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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