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Bases-loaded HBP in 8th helps Dodgers beat KC 5-4

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis was facing one of the hottest relievers in baseball with two outs and the bases loaded in a tie game Wednesday night.

Ellis wound up taking one for the team.

He was plunked on the shoulder by Royals reliever Wade Davis, who had not allowed a run since April, and was the go-ahead run in a 5-4 victory over Kansas City.

“Our guys hung in there,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “We got behind. We threw some runs up there. They came back and we kept playing.”

Jamey Wright (3-2) threw 2 2-3 scoreless innings in relief of Dan Haren to pick up the win.

J.P. Howell and Brandon League worked the bottom of the eighth for the Dodgers, and Brian Wilson handled the ninth in place of closer Kenley Jansen for his first save since April 12, 2012.

It wasn’t easy. Danny Valencia hit a one-out single and pinch-runner Pedro Ciriaco stole second — he was initially called out but the call was overturned by replay. But Wilson got Lorenzo Cain to line out to first base, and Ciriaco was doubled off second to end the game.

“The story is more about the bullpen and the guys scratching out the last run,” Haren said. “Today they played great behind me.”

Davis (5-2) had not allowed a run in 22 1-3 innings spanning his last 20 outings. But after nearly escaping a jam by catching Adrian Gonzalez in a rundown between third base and home for the second out of the eighth, the reliever walked Scott Van Slyke to load the bases.

Davis then had a 1-2 count on Ellis before hitting him in the shoulder.

“That’s a tough way to go down right there,” Davis said. “I just tried to make a perfect pitch. It just ran away from him a little bit and came up and hit him.”

Matt Kemp homered and Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig drove in a run apiece for the Dodgers, while Dee Gordon had four hits and his league-leading 40th stolen base.

Cain and Jarrod Dyson hit solo shots for the Royals.

“”They all sting a little, some a little bit worse than others, but they all sting,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We had more than one chance in the ninth inning to pick up some runs, but we just didn’t capitalize on it.”

Haren gave up two homers among six hits, walked two and was pulled after throwing 92 pitches in 4 1-3 innings. The three-time All-Star had gone at least five innings while allowing four earned runs or fewer in his previous 15 starts with the Dodgers, the longest streak by any pitcher to begin his career with the club in the last 100 years.

James Shields wasn’t much better, though he lasted a whole lot longer. After breezing through the first, the Royals’ ace allowed four runs, seven hits and a walk in seven innings.

Shields gave away the 1-0 lead that Cain supplied with his leadoff homer when Kemp went deep in the second. Shields then allowed two more runs in the third on consecutive triples by Gordon and Puig — Gordon scored on a balk by Shields — and a groundout by Gonzalez.

The Royals got one back in the fourth on Mike Moustakas’s RBI single, but Los Angeles restored its cushion in the fifth when Gordon singled, swiped second and scored on Puig’s double.

Kansas City finally squared things in the bottom half. Dyson led off with a homer, his first in 277 at-bats, and Billy Butler’s groundout was enough to score Cain from third.

But when the game came down to a battle of bullpens, the Dodgers’ proved to be better.

“Wade is solid all day, every day,” Shields said. “We’re all human, man. It’s going to be tough not to give up runs all year long. He’s so strong mentally and is such a bulldog out there.”

NOTES: The Dodgers selected the contract of 1B Clint Robinson from Triple-A Albuquerque and designated INF Jamie Romak for assignment. … Mattingly said 3B Juan Uribe (hamstring) could be activated Thursday. … The Royals have Thursday off. The Dodgers open a series against St. Louis.

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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