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Granderson, bullpen help Mets beat Padres 3-1

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets manager Terry Collins walked to the mound with two outs in the first inning knowing his pitching plan was already scrapped. Still, he had one request for an ailing Daisuke Matsuzaka.

“I went out there and asked him if he could finish the inning,” Collins said. “He said ‘I have no strength but I can finish the inning.’ We had to get him out of there.”

Pitching with a severely upset stomach, Matsuzaka took several deep breaths to compose himself then got Chase Headley to ground out to end the inning. Carlos Torres took over from there and, with the backing Curtis Granderson’s first leadoff homer in five years, New York beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 Sunday.

Bobby Abreu added an RBI double in the first and Daniel Murphy had a sacrifice fly in the second against a shaky Ian Kennedy (5-8), helping New York take the rubber game in a series between the worst hitting teams in the majors.

On a day Collins said he needed seven innings from Matsuzaka to help cover for a depleted bullpen, the right-hander became sick before the game.

“I knew I wasn’t physically fit to fill the starter’s role but I wanted to do as much as I could,” Matsuzaka said through a translator. “That ended up being only one inning.”

Matsuzaka gingerly walked off the mound when he was done, shook hands with Collins and headed straight for the clubhouse.

Collins hopes Matsuzaka is healthy enough to offer some help out of the bullpen Monday when the Mets face the Cardinals in St. Louis.

The 34-year-old Japanese pitcher has made 16 relief appearances and four starts this season so he is comfortable pitching out of the ‘pen if he has to.

“If I’m physically fit,” he said, “I’d definitely like to help with the bullpen.”

Torres (3-4) relieved Matsuzaka to start the second, and the late-inning reliever looked unsettled. He gave up three straight singles, including Rene Rivera’s RBI infield hit. But he didn’t give up another hit in four innings, tossing a season-high 63 pitches.

“We’re ready to do our job,” Torres said. “This obviously was an extreme situation.”

Vic Black pitched two scoreless innings and Jenrry Mejia made his first appearance since leaving Thursday night’s game with a stiff back, working two hitless innings for his seventh save.

While the Mets used five extra-base hits — two doubles by Lucas Duda — in improving to 5-9 for June, San Diego only had four hits in falling to falling to 3-10 for the month.

Batting .215 as a team, the Padres made several mental mistakes on the basepaths. In one case, manager Bud Black had several words for pinch-hitter Alexi Amarista when he returned to the dugout in the seventh after failing to run out a grounder that Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores bobbled.

“It’s not lack of effort. I know that. I think Lexi thought the ball was caught by the shortstop,” Black said. “I know it looks a little ugly on television but no, not lack of effort at all by any of those guys.”

Atop the order for the first time this season and back in the starting lineup for the first time since June 11 (calf injury), Granderson sent a 1-0 pitch from Kennedy halfway up the porch in right field for his first leadoff homer since 2009 with Detroit and 25th overall.

“I have no clue where it went,” Granderson said of the long homer.

Granderson also singled and walked twice.

Murphy then doubled to left field, David Wright walked and Abreu doubled in a run. But the Mets failed to add on against a shaky Kennedy, stranding runners on second and third.

“I just didn’t have that put away pitch. I didn’t have that put away curveball until later in the game,” Kennedy said. “For me, it was a constant battle throughout the whole day. They did a good job hitting — even on some of those breaking balls that wasn’t down enough.”

NOTES: Kennedy gave up seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. … The Mets expect speedy outfielder Eric Young Jr. (right hamstring strain) to return to the team Monday. The Padres placed RHP Nick Vincent on the 15-day DL, retroactive to June 12, because of shoulder fatigue. They selected the contract of RHP Blaine Boyer from Triple-A El Paso to fill Vincent’s spot. … Mets minor league RHP Rafael Montero left his start for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday night in the first inning because of a left oblique strain. The Mets completed the trade that sent Ike Davis to Pittsburgh on April 18. They received 19-year-old LHP Blake Taylor, the Pirates’ second-round selection (51st overall) in 2013.

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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