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Lincecum can feel good about his outing

By WTOP Staff

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tim Lincecum has put together two quality starts and that gives him something to build on.

The former two-time Cy Young Award winner left the game leading after six innings and then watched as the Colorado Rockies scored five runs in the top of the ninth to beat the San Francisco Giants 7-4 on Friday night.

“I’m trying to stay consistent,” Lincecum said. “I’m keeping my front shoulder from bailing out and that helps with location. My fastball was a lot better. The two-seamer I was able to locate against right-handers and that opened the plate for me.”

Lincecum allowed three hits and two runs, retiring the final 10 batters he faced. Three San Francisco relievers combined to shut out Colorado over the next two innings before closer Sergio Romo (3-2) gave it back in the ninth.

“It was nice to stay consistent throughout,” Lincecum said. “I’m just going to try to stay with the same approach.”

Lincecum has recorded seven quality starts among his 14 games this season but entered the game with the fifth-highest ERA among qualifying pitchers in the NL. He has allowed three runs or fewer in eight of his last nine outings at home.

“He had real good stuff,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “He had good velocity and threw some great secondary pitches. It’s a shame we couldn’t hold on and give him a win.”

The Rockies were listless at the plate for most of the night, trailed 4-2 and had gone five straight innings without a hit before rallying.

The Rockies had to overcome an injury-shortened night by starter Jorge De La Rosa. De La Rosa, who had lost his previous two starts, was forced out of the game after the third inning due to tightness in his lower back.

The Rockies bailed him out with their huge ninth, marking the eighth time this season Colorado has won in its final at-bat.

Up to that point, manager Walt Weiss’ team hadn’t done much.

Morneau finished with two hits, the only Rockies player with multiple hits.

De La Rosa struggled even before his back acted up. He had to strike out Lincecum to escape a bases-loaded jam in the second, and then gave up a leadoff double to Angel Pagan in the third. After Hunter Pence’s RBI single, De La Rosa retired the next two batters but threw one pitch to Michael Morse before summoning team trainers and Weiss to the mound.

Umpires allowed De La Rosa to make a few warm-up pitches before Morse hit a tying single.

Morse also doubled off reliever Tommy Kahnle in the fifth, and Pence doubled and scored on a wild pitch by Chris Martin in the seventh.

The two teams split their first eight games this season and were playing for the first time since being rained out in Colorado on May 22.

NOTES: RHP Christian Bergman (0-1) will make his second start in the majors for Colorado on Saturday. The rookie allowed just two earned runs in his pro debut on June 9. RHP Ryan Vogelsong (4-3) pitches for San Francisco.

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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