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Hahn gets 1st W, Padres stop 5-game skid, top Mets

By WTOP Staff

BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The way Jesse Hahn pitched, his dad expected a winning effort. The RBI single? Well, that was something new.

“I’m surprised he didn’t run to third base,” Fred Hahn said outside the clubhouse. “He’s not much of a hitter.”

His son earned his first big league victory Saturday, throwing one-hit ball for six innings and contributing a soft single as the San Diego Padres stopped a five-game losing streak, beating the New York Mets 5-0.

“It’s awesome,” the rookie said. “I was very relaxed. I stayed focused and stayed calm.”

Hahn combined with the San Diego bullpen on a two-hitter. The Mets managed Ruben Tejada’s infield hit leading off the first and Lucas Duda’s bloop single down the left field line in the ninth.

Promoted from Double-A to make his second appearance in the majors, Hahn (1-1) struck out seven and walked three in the longest outing of his professional career. The 24-year-old righty escaped his biggest jam by fanning Matt den Dekker with the bases loaded to end the fourth.

At 6-foot-5 with socks pulled up nearly to his knees, Hahn won in front of his father, sister and about 20 family members and friends. They came from Groton, Connecticut, where his high school teammate was injured Mets ace Matt Harvey.

“I wanted all of those people to be here. They’ve supported me my whole life,” Hahn said.

Hahn missed the 2011 season after having Tommy John surgery, and Harvey watched from the dugout while he rehabs from the same procedure.

Hahn said Harvey sent him a text message before the game wishing him good luck. After Hahn was done, Harvey texted congratulations.

“I know he had a lot of people here from Connecticut,” Padres manager Bud Black said, “and he responded.”

Hahn made his major league debut June 3 against Pittsburgh, and was chased after giving up two home runs in 3 2-3 innings. This time, Hahn was effective with his arm and bat.

Hahn blooped an opposite-field single to right with two outs in the fourth for his first hit since high school. Cameron Maybin easily scored, and was trotting back to the dugout when plate umpire Dan Bellino flipped him Hahn’s souvenir.

“Not your prototypical line drive, bullet, missile you like for your first hit,” Black kidded.

Maybin later showed off some alert baserunning, winding up all the way at third on an infield grounder. Yonder Alonso broke from third on the bouncer and eventually was tagged out, but he prolonged the rundown long enough to allow Maybin to keep running.

Chase Headley hit a solo homer, an RBI single and scored twice. Alonso hit two doubles.

Padres relievers Dale Thayer, Joaquin Benoit and Huston Street each pitched an inning, sending the Mets to their ninth loss in 11 games.

“The way they threw the ball, mixed in with some poor at-bats, and they were able to throw up a lot of zeros,” Mets star David Wright said.

Zack Wheeler (2-7) remained winless in eight home starts since last August. He’s averaging an NL-high 18 pitches per inning, and threw 100 in five busy innings.

San Diego began the day last in the majors in batting average and runs, and just three starters were hitting over .215.

The Padres totaled seven runs during their recent skid. This was the first time in 14 games they scored more than four runs in a game.

NOTES: Hahn was promoted from Double-A San Antonio and LHP Troy Patton was put on the DL. … There was a brief delay in the ninth after a panel of padding fell off the left-field wall in foul territory. … Padres RF Will Venable made a diving catch on Duda’s sinking liner to end the first with runners at the corners. … The Mets’ Chris Young struck out four times. … San Diego RHP Ian Kennedy (5-7, 3.63) faces RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-0, 2.95) in Sunday’s series finale. … Rapper 50 Cent gave a concert at Citi Field after the game. Last month, the lefty threw out the first pitch before a Mets game and his toss sailed far, far wide of the plate and wound up on blooper reels. There were plenty of wrappers on the field during the game, too, blown around by gusting winds. … Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona presented Army Lt. Col. Thomas Sullivan with a flag that was flown over Citi Field during an on-field ceremony in the middle of the third inning.

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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