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Puig, Dodgers go triple-crazy, beat Giants 8-1

By WTOP Staff

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Yasiel Puig was excited for his first start of the season in center field because it gave him more room to run and show off his unbelievable athleticism.

Instead, Puig’s performance will be remembered for what he did with his bat and on the bases.

Puig tied a franchise record with three triples and added a double and two RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers moved within a half-game of NL West-leading San Francisco by beating the Giants 8-1 on Friday night.

“I’m tired,” Puig said, shaking his head after sitting in the training room for more than 30 minutes wrapped in ice packs. “I was just trying to hit the ball where nobody was.”

The Dodgers matched a club record with five triples, including three during a five-run fifth inning that chased Tim Lincecum (9-7). It was the most triples in a game for the franchise since 1921 and most by a Dodgers player since Brooklyn’s Jimmy Sheckard had three in 1901.

“That’s crazy. I’ve never seen anything like that,” said Matt Kemp, who had three hits — including a triple — after shifting from center to right field.

Zack Greinke (12-6) tossed seven innings of four-hit ball, striking out 10 and walking one. Tyler Colvin hit an RBI single in the ninth for San Francisco’s only run.

Greinke recorded another rare feat on a night full of them: he struck out four batters in the third inning after a wild pitch allowed Hunter Pence to reach base on a swinging strike three.

Even with all of Greinke’s greatness, the game belonged to Puig and the triple-crazed hitters in blue.

The performances at the plate came after Dodgers manager Don Mattingly shook up his crowded outfield, putting Puig in center, Kemp in right, and Carl Crawford in left.

Puig got things going with a hard-hit fly ball to center with one out in the first inning, flipping his bat as he sprinted out of the box. Two fans — one wearing a Giants jersey, the other in a Dodgers uniform — battled for the ball as it approached the wall, knocking it back on the field.

Puig hustled to third, and umpires kept him there following a video review. Adrian Gonzalez followed with a sharp single to right to score Puig and give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers did most of their damage in a wild fifth. Puig and Dee Gordon hit back-to-back RBI triples, and Kemp had a two-run triple as the Dodgers scored five runs in the inning.

“I got away from my plan. I didn’t throw as many breaking balls and sliders as I wanted to. I think those have been kind of the equalizer for me in keeping guys honest,” Lincecum said.

Puig added his third triple to right-center off Juan Gutierrez in the sixth to extend the Dodgers’ lead to 7-0. He thought he had another extra-base hit when he flied out to deep center in the eighth.

The last player with three triples in a game was Denard Span for Minnesota in 2010.

“It was pretty awesome. Hopefully it happens a lot,” Greinke said.

Lincecum was charged with six runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings. His start came after getting two outs in Tuesday night’s 14-inning win in Philadelphia for his first career save.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he didn’t expect Lincecum to be tired from the extra appearance because the right-hander usually throws a bullpen session on that day between starts. Either way, it was Lincecum’s worst start since he gave up eight runs in 4 1-3 innings at Cincinnati on June 3.

The night was even shorter for his catcher.

Hector Sanchez sustained a concussion after taking a foul tip from Gonzalez off his mask in the third. Sanchez struck out in the bottom of the inning before Buster Posey moved from first to catcher to begin the fourth.

Bochy said the Giants will likely put Sanchez on the concussion list on Saturday and add a player to the roster.

NOTES: Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez returned after missing three games with a left wrist injury. He went 2 for 5 with one RBI. … The announced crowd of 41,753 was San Francisco’s 300th consecutive regular-season sellout. … Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (11-2, 1.92 ERA) starts opposite Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong (5-7, 3.99 ERA) on Saturday night.

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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