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Kemp’s 4 hits leads Dodgers past Rockies 8-2

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Matt Kemp and Josh Beckett made sure the Los Angeles Dodgers had plenty to celebrate heading into their showdown with the Detroit Tigers.

Kemp had four hits and drove in two runs, and Beckett tossed five scoreless innings and chipped in with a double as the Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 8-2 on Sunday.

Adrian Gonzalez had three RBIs and Juan Uribe added three hits for the Dodgers, who won three of four in the weekend series. They head to AL Central-leading Detroit in first place in the NL West, a half-game ahead of San Francisco.

“To win the first two and then lose yesterday, if you don’t win today then you’ve had a negative series in my mind,” manager Don Mattingly said.

All-Star rosters were unveiled during the game, and the Dodgers were well-represented with four players. Right fielder Yasiel Puig was voted in as a starter, and second baseman Dee Gordon made it as a reserve. Starting pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke were also picked.

“I’m really excited I get to do it again, really excited for Puig and Dee, the first-time guys, and with Greinke,” Kershaw said. “I’ve never gotten to go with four of my own teammates before, so that’s pretty cool.”

Beckett was left off the National League roster. Kershaw is a candidate to start the game, but said he’s just happy to be going for the fourth time.

“I’d love to do it,” Kershaw said. “Obviously, there are a ton of great candidates. I’ll be fine either way. Definitely (would) be something cool to do.”

Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, an All-Star starter with an NL-best 5.3 million votes, scored both runs for the Rockies. Charlie Blackmon was named to the team as a reserve outfielder.

“That has some extra meaning,” Tulowitzki said. “A couple years I’ve been chosen by the players and that’s always an honor. This year the fans really stepped up and really supported me.”

Colorado was 26-20 on May 20 but has lost 17 of 20 to fall to within a half-game of last place in the NL West. The Rockies are 5-15 at Coors Field since June 3.

Beckett (6-5) allowed three hits before leaving after aggravating his sore left hip while running the bases in the fifth.

“It was the start and stop. I just kind of tweaked it,” he said. It’s been bothering me for a few weeks.”

Dodgers starters had gone 39 consecutive games with two or fewer walks allowed, but that streak ended when Beckett walked three. Hyun-Jin Ryu was the last Los Angeles starter to walk more than two when he had five on May 26.

“I knew if it got to me it was going to end,” Beckett said. “I don’t have the stuff to pitch here and not peck around the strike zone.”

Beckett made up for ending the streak with a one-out double that started a five-run fifth. Gordon singled and Puig walked to load the bases.

Gonzalez had a two-run single, Kemp followed with an RBI single and Scott Van Slyke walked.

“Josh was good and gets us going with his bat,” Mattingly said. “That double really gets us going.”

Uribe singled to third off reliever Brooks Brown, scoring Gonzalez on a play at the plate. Umpire Jeff Kellogg called Gonzalez out, but it was overturned after a review that took 1 minute, 28 seconds.

Brown hit Miguel Rojas with a pitch to score Kemp and make it 5-0.

“We swung the bats well, put up some runs for Beckett,” Kemp said. “It was a good offensive series for us.”

Colorado left-hander Yohan Flande (0-2) allowed five runs in 4 1-3 innings.

“He was throwing the ball well and then he ran into some trouble in the fifth,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “Until that point he had been pretty much cruising.”

The Rockies scored an unearned run in the sixth off reliever Chris Perez and another off Brian Wilson in the eighth.

Kemp’s fourth hit of the day capped a three-run eighth that made it 8-1.

NOTES: Rockies 1B Justin Morneau is on the Internet ballot for the final NL All-Star spot. … Rojas left the game with a bruised right forearm. X-rays were negative. … The Dodgers placed INF Erisbel Arruebarrena on the 15-day disabled list with a right hip flexor strain and recalled infielder Carlos Triunfel from Triple-A Albuquerque. … The Rockies placed RHP Nick Masset on the 15-day DL with a left patellar tendon strain and recalled Brown from Triple-A Colorado Springs. … Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez (left index finger surgery) will go on a rehab assignment starting Monday.

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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