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Moss powers A’s past Astros 13-1

By WTOP Staff

RICK EYMER
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A warm day helped Brandon Moss reach another milestone and it helped Jeff Samardzija enjoy even more run support.

Moss hit a grand slam and the Oakland Athletics gave Samardzija more run support than he has had all season in a 13-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday.

“I didn’t realize it went over the fence,” Moss said. “I thought it was going to be a sacrifice fly. Then I saw it bounce around and was shocked. That’s not a home run at night. Being a day game, the ball carries better.”

Jed Lowrie had three hits and drove in a run for the A’s, who have the best record (63-38) in baseball and are a season-best 25 games over .500.

Chris Carter hit a home run for the Astros, who fell to 2-4 since the All-Star break.

Samardzija (2-1) gave up a leadoff single to Jose Altuve and then retired 10 straight before Carter’s 20th home run put Houston on the board. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.

He retired 12 of 13 following Carter’s blast. Carter was the lone Astro to get past second base against Samardzija, who received a combined 13 runs of support over his final six starts with the Cubs.

“I was just trying to get quick innings and not keep the defense out there very long,” Samardzija said. “I wanted to keep them in hitting rhythm. When you get a lead like that, you just take a deep breath.”

Samardzija was 2-7 with the Cubs despite a 2.83 ERA. He entered with the third-lowest run support in the majors at 3.05 runs per outing.

“I’m having a lot of fun playing here,” Samardzija said. “I just attacked the zone and threw a lot of fastballs.”

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

“He battled but at the same time they did a tremendous job of hitting with runners in scoring position,” Astros manager Bo Porter said. “That’s pretty much what was the difference in the ballgame.”

Feldman allowed at least six runs for just the third time this season but for the second time in three starts. He has allowed 16 runs and 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 ahead 4-1 entering the sixth inning when Moss hit his third grand slam of the season.

“You want to cash them in with runners on base,” Moss said. “It was a situation where the guy had to make a good pitch and I hit it. I had the bases loaded in the at-bat before and ended up hitting a weak grounder to first.”

Stephen Vogt added a three-run double in the eighth. Josh Reddick, who had two 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: RHP Jim Johnson was designated for assignment before the game, ending a short, tumultuous relationship with the A’s fans, who have booed him since opening day. … A’s OF Yoenis Cespedes (sprained right thumb) could return to the starting lineup on Friday. … A’s INF Alberto Callaspo (right hamstring strain) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday. .. RHP Jason Hammel (0-2, 9.00) is scheduled to make his third start for the A’s against the Rangers in Texas on Friday. … LHP Dallas Keuchel (9-6, 3.29) starts for the Astros at home against Miami, which begins a 10-day, 10-game homestand, the longest of the season. … Samardzija improved to 21-3 lifetime when receiving at least three runs of support.

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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