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Carter homers in Astros’ 13-1 loss to A’s

By WTOP Staff

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Astros first baseman Chris Carter remained one of the hottest hitters in the AL this month after homering against his former team.

The rest of Houston’s lineup managed just five hits — all singles — and the pitching wasn’t much better.

Carter hit his 20th home run, providing the lone bright spot in the Astros’ 13-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.

The Houston first baseman is hitting .323 with six home runs and 15 RBIs in July.

“It’s just good to have success against them,” said Carter, who spent his first three seasons in Oakland. “Last year they beat up on us pretty good. I think the next following years we’ll be better and it’ll be more of a battle between us.”

The Astros’ second straight loss to the division-leading A’s wasn’t even close.

Brandon Moss hit a grand slam and Jed Lowrie had three hits to support starter Jeff Samardzija.

Samardzija (2-1) gave up a leadoff single to Jose Altuve and then retired 10 straight before Carter’s home run on a first-pitch fastball with one out in the fourth. Samardzija did not walk a batter, struck out six and retired 12 of 13 following Carter’s blast.

“The reason they went out and got Samardzija is because he could give them games like he gave them today,” Houston manager Bo Porter said. “(He) gave them eight strong innings and pretty much had complete command of the game.”

Scott Feldman (4-8) lost his straight start, lasting 5 1-3 innings. He allowed six runs on nine hits, walking five and striking out four.

Feldman allowed at least six runs for just the third time this season but for the second time in three starts. He’s allowed 16 runs on 27 hits over his last 17 2-3 innings.

“It was a battle for him all day,” Porter said. “Early in the game he really had his breaking ball working, and they started laying off and made him come back into the zone.”

The A’s were already ahead 4-1 entering the sixth when Moss delivered his third grand slam of the year.

Feldman walked Eric Sogard and gave up a single to Coco Crisp before striking out John Jaso. Anthony Bass replaced Feldman and hit Josh Donaldson to load the bases ahead of Moss. Lowrie also drove in a run in the inning.

Stephen Vogt added a three-run double in the eighth. Josh Reddick, who had a pair of doubles, added a sacrifice fly.

Donaldson and Derek Norris, who had three hits, each drove in runs in the third. Sogard scored on a wild pitch. Crisp’s sacrifice fly in the fourth put the A’s ahead, 4-1.

NOTES: Houston finished 2-4 on the six-game road trip. … LHP Dallas Keuchel (9-6, 3.29) starts for the Astros at home against the Miami Marlins, which begins a 10-day, 10-game homestand, the longest of the season. … Carter has an extra-base hit in each of his past four games, a season-best. … Jose Altuve went was 2 for 4 against Samardzija after entering the game 1 for 11 against him.

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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