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Cards lose 1-0 to Dodgers despite Wainwright’s gem

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adam Wainwright allowed one run in a complete game that began with five hitless innings against the Dodgers. That still wasn’t enough to overcome an equally stellar outing by Josh Beckett.

Pinch-hitter Justin Turner delivered an RBI single in the eighth off Wainwright, and Los Angeles edged the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 Thursday night in their first meeting since last year’s NL championship series.

“I think one run would have been enough tonight the way he was throwing the ball,” said Cardinals second baseman Mark Ellis, a former Dodger. “He was typical Wainwright. He has four above-average pitches and throws them wherever he wants. He knows their lineup and how to throw those guys.”

Wainwright (10-4) took a hard-luck loss, giving up five hits while going the distance for the 19th time in 201 regular-season starts. The right-hander was runner-up to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in last year’s NL Cy Young Award voting.

“I knew it was going to be tough, but I don’t think I deserve very much of the credit,” Beckett said. “My defense really picked me up tonight, and we got a late run off of a pretty tough pitcher.”

Beckett pitched seven sharp innings in a tight duel with the Cardinals’ ace and was helped out considerably by left fielder Matt Kemp, who threw out Allen Craig at the plate in the seventh inning as he tried to score on Jon Jay’s two-out single.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny challenged the call by umpire Vic Carapazza that Drew Butera tagged Craig in time, but a replay review upheld the decision and the game remained scoreless.

“I wasn’t surprised they sent him. Right there in the late innings, it’s do or die,” Kemp said. “I got a good jump on it, got to the ball quick and threw it. Butera made a good tag and we got the out. Defense is just as important as offense. Defense won us that game today.”

Juan Uribe, just off the disabled list after missing 34 games with a right hamstring strain, led off the Dodgers eighth with a single and advanced on Butera’s sacrifice bunt before rookie Miguel Rojas’ infield single put runners at the corners.

Turner, batting for reliever Brian Wilson, came through with his 20th RBI of the season.

“I think he’s used to that. He’s gotten some big hits for us this year,” Kemp said. “He’s always ready to hit, and tonight he got the big hit. It was a battle today. It was a battle of the pitchers — two good pitchers going at it, and we had to wait out Wainwright.”

Wilson (1-2) tossed a perfect inning and Kenley Jansen got three outs for his 24th save.

“That’s how playoff games usually are — 1-0. When we play them, it’s always two good teams going at it,” Kemp said. “I think our pitchers match up with their pitchers, and vice versa. We’ve had some battles over the years, and they’ve gotten the best of us the last couple of years. But hopefully we can grind it out and see them in the playoffs again this year.”

Wainwright walked his first batter, Dee Gordon, then retired 15 in a row before Rojas led off the sixth with a clean single to left field. Beckett followed with a Texas Leaguer to right, and Craig made a diving catch.

Gordon followed with a bloop single to left, but Yasiel Puig grounded into a double play.

Beckett scattered four hits, walked two and struck out four. The right-hander has a 1.34 ERA over his last seven starts, a stretch that began with his no-hitter in Philadelphia on May 25. His season ERA is 2.11 in 15 starts.

The Cardinals won 97 games last season, five more than Los Angeles, and beat the Dodgers in the NLCS. Wainwright won Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.

NOTES: The Cardinals began a five-game stretch in which they will face all three pitchers who have thrown no-hitters this season, including Kershaw on Sunday and San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum on Tuesday. … No visiting player has thrown a no-hitter at Dodger Stadium since April 8, 1994, when Atlanta’s Kent Mercker did it. … The Dodgers’ flight from Kansas City didn’t arrive in Los Angeles until about 2 a.m. following their 5-4 win over the Royals, and manager Don Mattingly called off batting practice. … Wainwright has allowed one home run over his last seven starts and 57 innings, a three-run shot by San Francisco’s Hunter Pence. … Cardinals RHP Joe Kelly, on the DL with a left hamstring strain that’s sidelined him for 66 games, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Memphis.

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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