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Martin’s single pushes Rangers past Mariners 4-3

By WTOP Staff

JOSH LIEBESKIND
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — With two strikes on him and two outs in the ninth inning of a tie game, Leonys Martin kept his plan simple.

“Try to see the ball and put the ball in play,” he said.

Martin slapped a single just past the glove of a diving Kyle Seager at third base, scoring Luis Sardinas from second with the go-ahead run and the Rangers held on for a 4-3 win over Seattle on Saturday night, extending the Mariners’ losing streak to five games.

Luis Sardinas singled off Fernando Rodney (1-3) with one out in the ninth and moved to second on a groundout. Martin, who reached base three times as manager Ron Washington’s latest test in the leadoff spot, followed with the game-winning hit, which scored Sardinas without a play at the plate.

“If you put the ball in play, good things can happen, and it did for us tonight,” Washington said. “They don’t quit. They play nine innings and they continue to play baseball no matter what happens out there. No matter what happens out there, they continue to play baseball.”

Despite allowing an inherited runner to score after allowing a bases-loaded RBI single to Robinson Cano in the seventh, Neal Cotts (2-3) limited the damage and earned the win with 1 2-3 innings of four-strikeout relief. Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances.

The late run spoiled a win for Texas starter Joe Saunders, who was in line for his first victory of the season in his fourth start after coming off the disabled list. Saunders allowed two runs in six innings.

“For me, it’s about getting deeper into games,” Saunders said. “I felt like I had good stuff tonight, could’ve been better. So it’s still, in my mind, a little bit of a work in progress. But made some good strides tonight.”

The Rangers had to rally early in the game after falling behind 1-0 in the fifth. Shin-Soo Choo singled off reliever Danny Farquhar to open the sixth and scored when Adrian Beltre followed with a double into the left-field corner, tying the game. After a pair of strikeouts, Robinson Chirinos put Texas ahead with a two-run home run to left field.

Farquhar came on for Erasmo Ramirez, who had skirted danger in five scoreless innings. Ramirez allowed just three hits, but struggled with his command and walked four. The right-hander allowed seven baserunners and threw 89 pitches.

The Mariners took the lead in the fifth when Stefen Romero hit a sacrifice fly to left to score John Buck from third. Buck led off the frame with a single and moved to third when Seager followed with a base hit. The run snapped a 13-inning scoreless streak for the Mariners.

Seattle added a run in the sixth when Buck scored Cano from second with a single. The call at the plate was confirmed after a review.

The Mariners were not able to capitalize on opportunities, though, and multiple runners stranded in the three separate innings.

“We’ve lost some tough games here at home,” Willie Bloomquist said. “We’re playing hard, just not coming up with that big hit when we need it.”

NOTES: Sunday’s series finale will feature Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma and Rangers RHP Nick Martinez. … The umpires reviewed four calls: two in the first, one in the sixth and one in the seventh. Leonys Martin was originally called safe in an attempt to steal second, but it was overturned. A 2-2 count to Adrian Beltre was also reviewed, and upheld. A ruling that Robinson Cano was safe at home in the sixth was confirmed. Elvis Andrus was originally called out at first in the seventh after being involved in a rundown, but the call was reversed. … Seattle’s Jesus Montero, a former top prospect, made his first appearance since being suspended 50 games for his connection to the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug investigation last year. Montero, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, collected a single in three at-bats as the designated hitter.

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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