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Tepesch gives up 5 in 1st inning of Rangers’ loss

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington thought Nick Tepesch had a pretty good start — well, except for five batters in the first inning.

Tepesch gave up a three-run homer to Anthony Recker during a five-run burst with two outs in the first, but he lasted six innings for the Rangers in an 8-4 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday.

“It took him six hitters to get the one out we needed,” Washington said. “But he hung in there.”

Lucas Duda had an RBI double and Juan Lagares a run-scoring single in the Mets’ biggest opening inning of the season. New York then got only one hit off Tepesch (3-4) until Kirk Nieuwenhuis led off the sixth with a long ball to right field.

Holding the Mets gave the Rangers a chance to get back in the game against Zack Wheeler (4-8).

Robinson Chirinos hit his second homer of the series, a solo shot in the fourth, and Texas added three more to pull to 7-4 within the first three batters of the eighth.

Alex Rios hit his first homer in 46 games leading off, Adrian Beltre singled and Leonys Martin had a two-run drive before the first out against reliever Gonzalez Germen.

Jeurys Familia cleaned up for Gonzalez by getting the final two outs in the eighth and closer Jenrry Mejia pitched the ninth.

The Mets needed five relievers to help send Texas to its sixth loss on a seven-game road trip that ended Sunday.

“It’s nice that they started to swing and able to get the ball in the air and start finding the fences,” Washington said. “Now, we’ve got to start doing it with runners in scoring position so we can put up some crooked numbers.”

Wheeler had his second straight solid outing in an up-and-down season to help the Mets win for just the third time in 11 games. The lanky right-hander lasted 6 1-3 innings and gave up a run and six hits.

It was Wheeler’s first victory in his last 10 home starts. He is 1-6 over that span.

“We’ve got a young pitcher on our hands who’s going to be really, really good,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “Zack gets better each start. Today his velocity was consistent throughout the game.”

A day after Texas rode Chirinos’ three-run shot in a four-run first for a 5-3 victory, Recker put New York up 5-0 with a flyball that down the left-field line.

“To put up five in the first inning is pretty cool,” Recker said.

Tepesch, whose start was pushed back twice last week and pitched nine days ago, was hurt by two walks in the first.

Curtis Granderson walked leading off and, after Duda drove in his 12th run 15 games with a two-out double, Nieuwenhuis was walked to extend the inning for Lagares. Ruben Tejada walked after Recker’s homer. Wheeler then struck out.

But Tepesch settled until Tejada had a one-out double in the fourth. In six innings, Tepesch allowed six runs and five hits. He walked four and struck out four.

“Just tried to get back to just commanding it down in the zone and making good pitches down in the zone,” Tepesch said of rebounding from the first.

The 25-year-old Tepesch got his first big league hit in his fifth career at-bat, sending a bouncer past diving shortstop Tejada leading off the fifth. Tejada robbed Tepesch of a hit in the third inning with a diving catch.

Tejada had an RBI single in the eighth to give New York a four-run lead.

NOTES: Texas starting pitchers have hits in each of the three games. … LHP Joe Saunders has cleared waivers and is now a free agent. The Rangers designated him for assignment Tuesday after he went winless in eight starts. He is 0-5 with a 6.13 ERA. … The Mets placed LHP Jonathon Niese on the DL with shoulder fatigue. RHP Dillon Gee (right lat strain), on the DL since May 11, threw a bullpen Sunday and could take Niese’s spot in the rotation Wednesday. … Up next: The Mets host NL East-leading Atlanta Braves for four games. The Rangers return to Texas for a three-game set with Houston. The Rangers have lost 15 of 23 at home.

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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