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Haren helps Dodgers edge Diamondbacks 6-4

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Once he put Paul Goldschmidt’s first-inning homer behind him, Dan Haren found his bearings and his rhythm. From then on, it was another professional job for the three-time All-Star.

Haren pitched into the seventh inning and hit a tiebreaking three-run double, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

“I was scuffling out of the gate, and it’s been the same way for a long time now,” Haren said. “I haven’t been coming out that crisp out of the bullpen, but I felt really good today and my stuff was there.”

Dee Gordon hit a rare home run for the Dodgers, who are 10-3 against the Diamondbacks and 27-30 against everyone else. With six games left between the NL West rivals, this is the earliest the Dodgers have ever clinched a season series with Arizona. They began the year by sweeping a two-game set in Sydney, Australia.

“We thought we’d be doing a lot better against everybody, not just these guys,” Arizona catcher Miguel Montero said. “Unfortunately, we’re not doing good against anybody. So we’ve just got to pick it up and be a better team the rest of the way.”

Haren (7-4) allowed three runs and eight hits, including a one-out single in the seventh by pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheco that chased the former Diamondbacks right-hander. Haren, coming off a 6-2 victory last Monday at Cincinnati, has won back-to-back starts first the first time since beating Arizona by identical 8-6 scores in a span of seven days in April.

Kenley Jansen got three outs for his 19th save despite giving up a leadoff homer in the ninth by Martin Prado — his third hit of the game and 1,000th of his career.

Arizona right-hander Josh Collmenter (4-4) gave up six runs and eight hits through six innings. He is winless in three starts since his three-hit shutout against the Reds on May 29.

Prado gave the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead with an RBI single in the fourth, but the Dodgers responded with four runs in the bottom half. Matt Kemp singled in a run and Haren drove a 1-0 pitch to right-center field, clearing the bases as teammate Clayton Kershaw jumped for joy in the dugout.

“Collmenter did good, except that one inning. But he went out and gave us six innings and just battled and competed,” Montero said. “I know that Haren can hit. He can swing the bat. He’s not like normal pitchers. I don’t know if it was a bad pitch or not.”

Haren, a 12-year veteran with 71 hits and a .209 career batting average, had one RBI in 26 at-bats over his 13 previous starts this season.

“I got into a good count and was looking to go the other way, and I got a pitch that I could handle,” Haren said. “I used to be a really good hitter, and I’m not as good now as I once was. But I put a good swing on that one and the bullpen made it hold up.”

The damage could have been worse for Collmenter had Goldschmidt not robbed Andre Ethier of at least a double three batters earlier with a diving stop toward the first-base line and toss to Collmenter for the out.

Goldschmidt’s 14th homer came after a leadoff double by Didi Gregorius. Haren has allowed at least one homer in seven consecutive starts. His longest such streak was 10 starts in 2012 with the Angels.

“I just got burned with a cutter on Gregorius, and I hung the cutter again to Goldschmidt and made a really bad pitch,” Haren said. “But after that, I settled in and got some ground balls.”

The Dodgers tied it in the fourth on a two-run shot by Gordon, who turned on an 0-1 pitch and drove it into the first row of seats in the right-field corner. It was the second homer this season for the second baseman, and just his fourth in 874 big league at-bats to that point.

NOTES: Arizona LHP Joe Thatcher pitched a scoreless eighth, extending his streak against the Dodgers without allowing an earned run to 36 innings and 21 2-3 innings. The only reliever in history with a longer streak against one team without giving up an earned run was Troy Percival, who had 39 in a row against Minnesota spanning 40 innings. … The Dodgers placed utilityman Chone Figgins on the 15-day disabled list because of a left quad strain and recalled INF Carlos Triunfel from Triple-A Albuquerque. … The Dodgers were well-represented at Saturday’s memorial service for Bob Welch in Scottsdale, Arizona. Among the mourners were Tommy Lasorda, former teammates Steve Yeager, Dusty Baker, Dave Stewart, Rick Honeycutt and Ken Howell, along with longtime visiting clubhouse manager Jerry Turner. Also on hand was ex-Oakland A’s teammate and current Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire. Welch, who died Tuesday at age 57, was the Diamondbacks’ pitching coach when they won the World Series in 2001.

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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