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Wilson hurt early in Angels’ 4-3 loss to Braves

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — Poor control ruined C.J. Wilson’s first inning — and his night.

Wilson hit the first batter he faced, Jason Heyward. One out later, he walked Freddie Freeman. Then came his biggest mistake, a fastball to Evan Gattis over the middle of the plate.

Wilson gave up back-to-back homers in the first inning, including a three-run shot by Gattis, and the Angels’ comeback finished one run short as Los Angeles fell to the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Friday night.

Chris Johnson followed the Gattis homer with a drive over the centerfield wall for a 4-0 lead.

Gattis was given the green light to swing on a 3-0 pitch. The Braves’ catcher said he hit the homer over the left field wall on a “decent” pitch from Wilson.

Wilson’s description of the pitch was not so kind.

“That pitch just didn’t move at all,” Wilson said. “It was right down the middle. Obviously the guy’s got great power and he’s on a tear right now.”

Manager Mike Scioscia said Wilson was hurt by his lack of control on his pitches in the inning.

“He almost worked his way out of it but C.J. just was behind in too many counts and it eventually caught up with him,” Scioscia said.

Wilson (7-6) agreed.

“It was the worst perfect storm of missed locations in the first inning, I guess you could call it,” Wilson said.

“When you give up four runs in the first inning, it’s obviously crappy.”

It was the first time this season Wilson allowed as many as four runs in an inning.

Wilson had allowed only one homer in his last five starts before allowing the consecutive shots. He didn’t allow another run in his six innings.

The homer over the left field wall was the 14th for Gattis, leaving him tied for third place in the National League. He had two hits, giving him a 13-game hitting streak, Atlanta’s longest this season.

Aaron Harang (5-5) allowed one run in six innings to end a streak of five consecutive starts without a win.

Heyward left the game with a bruised right hand in the second inning after being hit by the pitch from Wilson in the first. The Braves said X-rays were negative and Heyward is day to day.

The Angels trailed 4-1 before Albert Pujols had a two-run single off Shae Simmons in the eighth. Craig Kimbrel struck out Raul Ibanez to cap a perfect ninth inning for his 19th save.

Harang, 36, earned his first win in eight career starts against the Angels. He was 0-4 with a 10.48 ERA in four 2013 starts for Seattle against the Angels.

Harang gave up four hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

The Angels scored in the third when Hank Conger hit a leadoff double before moving to third and then scoring on two wild pitches from Harang.

Braves center fielder B.J. Upton dropped Kyle Calhoun’s liner for an error, helped Los Angeles in the eighth. Upton caught up to the ball but couldn’t hold on when trying for a basket catch at his waist.

Mike Trout’s bloop double left runners on second and third with one out. Pujols, who has hit .347 in his career against the Braves, then punched a two-run single past second baseman Tommy La Stella.

Simmons struck out Howie Kendrick and ended the inning on Erick Aybar’s grounder to first base.

“We couldn’t push that tying run across in the eighth,” Scioscia said.

Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons left his feet to make a diving catch of a sharply hit grounder by Josh Hamilton in the sixth. Simmons bounced up to throw out Hamilton in a close play at first base.

“That is probably one of the best plays I’ve seen in a long time,” Harang said.

NOTES: Wilson took his first interleague loss with the Angels. He had been 5-0 with a 3.29 ERA in eight interleague starts with Los Angeles. … Scioscia said LHP Tyler Skaggs (right hamstring) could return from the 15-day DL next weekend. … Atlanta’s Gavin Floyd will face Garrett Richards in a matchup of right-handers on Saturday night.

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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