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Hamels, Utley lead Phils over Giants 2-1

By WTOP Staff

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cole Hamels used an amped-up fastball in his latest dominant performance.

Hamels pitched eight strong innings and Chase Utley had a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

Hamels (5-5) got the better of Tim Hudson in a matchup between starters who have combined for seven All-Star appearances. The Philadelphia left-hander gave up six hits while striking out 10 and walking one.

More noted for his changeup, Hamels has found an extra gear for his fastball over his last two starts.

After using it to shut down Atlanta in a 2-1 win last Saturday, Hamels frequently featured a heater that again touched the mid-90’s.

“He’s really gone with his fastball to set up his other pitches,” Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg said. “He’s got everything behind him. He’s feeling very good; he’s feeling strong.”

Added Hamels: “Everything was coming out the right way. I wasn’t having to put as much effort into each pitch.”

Hudson (8-7) gave up two runs in six innings although both were unearned. The right-hander struck out six and walked two.

“You’re hoping your guy gives you a chance, and that’s what (Hudson) did,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “He pitched great.”

The Giants, who were looking for their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia since 1998, lost for just the second time in eight games. San Francisco’s lead over the idle Dodgers in the NL West dropped to 1 1/2 games entering this weekend’s three-game series between the rivals at AT&T Park.

Despite the defeat, the Giants return home feeling positive after a 5-2 road trip.

“That’s a really good road trip,” Bochy said. “We’ve got a big series ahead of us. It’s going to be a good, exciting series. It’s what you play for.”

Utley, Marlon Byrd and Wil Nieves had a pair of hits for Philadelphia, which snapped its four-game losing streak while winning for just the second time in nine games.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 24th save in 27 opportunities to stop a rocky stretch. Papelbon blew his third save in Tuesday’s 9-6, 14-inning defeat and took the loss in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss.

He was booed upon entering the field and then again when he was introduced by PA announcer Dan Baker.

Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 inning to tie Goose Gossage for 21st place on the all-time save list with career save No. 310.

Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard wasn’t in the lineup for the second straight day as Sandberg has decided to look elsewhere to find production from first base. Howard has been in a power drought with just one homer since June 19 and his .224 average, .377 slugging percentage and .682 on-base plus slugging mark are well off his usual production.

The move was eye-opening considering the three-time All-Star and former MVP’s dominance against Hudson, against whom he has batted .328 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 67 career at-bats.

Howard’s replacement, Darin Ruf, went 1-for-4 with a strikeout.

“I wanted to see (Ruf) play for a couple of games, get him some at-bats and basically go from there,” Sandberg said. “We’ll continue to watch.”

Sandberg met with Howard prior to the game, and Howard said he wanted to be in the lineup. But the manager made no promises, adding that a platoon with the right-handed hitting Ruf was possible.

“If he has trouble against left-handed pitching and Darin Ruf is swinging it, that becomes an option,” Sandberg said. “If (a platoon) becomes the scenario and both guys are going well, that’s a good scenario.”

The Phillies got some help on both of their runs off of Hudson.

In the first, Jimmy Rollins hit a one-out double, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Byrd’s single to left.

San Francisco tied the game in the fifth on Ehire Adrianza’s RBI single to center.

Philadelphia got some more good fortune in the bottom of the frame as Ben Revere opened the inning with a medium flyball to left. Michael Morse charged hard but couldn’t come up with the grab and the error allowed Revere to reach second. Revere scored on Utley’s single to center.

Hamels went at least seven innings for the 13th time in the last 15 starts and gave up three runs or less for the 11th consecutive outing. The left-hander reached double-digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this season and 27th in his career.

Hamels cooled off Hunter Pence, who went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Pence entered batting .412 with a homer and six RBIs in the series, including the game-winning double in Wednesday’s 3-1 Giants victory.

“I don’t ever recall his fastball being as good as it was today,” Hudson said.

Nieves came up limping after moving awkwardly to block a fourth-inning pitch to Adam Duvall but stayed in the game. Nieves was activated Monday after spending a month on the DL with a strained right quad.

NOTES: Adrianza strained his right hamstring running the bases in the fifth inning. Bochy said he’ll be evaluated further on Friday. … The Giants open a pivotal three-game series at home against the rival Dodgers on Friday with San Francisco right-hander Tim Lincecum (9-6, 3.68) opposing Los Angeles right-hander Zack Greinke (11-6, 2.90). . Philadelphia hosts Arizona for a three-game set that begins Friday when Diamondbacks lefty Wade Miley (6-6, 4.16) takes on Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick (4-10, 4.87). . The Giants last swept a four-game series against the Phillies Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 1999, and last did it in Philadelphia July 31-Aug. 3, 1998.

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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