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Duda and deGrom deliver, Mets defeat Brewers 2-0

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Closer Jenrry Mejia extended his arms in front of him and kneeled quickly as he let out a yell with the final out secured in first baseman Lucas Duda’s glove.

A 2-0 victory Sunday over the Milwaukee Brewers allowed the New York Mets to head home after the All-Star break, happy with a 5-5 record on its grueling 10-game road trip.

Duda hit a two-run homer and rookie Jacob deGrom pitched well into the seventh to allow the Mets to split a four-game series with the NL Central-leading Brewers.

“It’s huge for us,” manager Terry Collins said about going .500 on the swing that also took the Mets to San Diego and Seattle. “When you start the second half with a 10-day road trip and you play two teams that are fighting for the playoffs, it’s a big test and our guys rose and played very well.”

With the non-waiver trade deadline looming Thursday, the Mets are five games under .500 overall at 50-55 and 6 1/2 games back in the wild card race.

Duda sent an 0-2 slider in the sixth from rookie Jimmy Nelson (1-2) into the second deck above right field to break a scoreless pitcher’s duel. It was Duda’s third homer in four days in Milwaukee.

Overall, Duda finished with four homers and seven RBIs on the road.

“He’s had a tremendous road trip,” Collins said. “Let’s hope he remains hot.”

The Brewers mounted a ninth-inning rally against Mejia with two outs after Jean Segura’s single put runners on first and second. Mejia got Lyle Overbay to ground out for his 15th save.

DeGrom (5-5) held the Brewers to four hits and two walks, exiting with one out in the seventh after allowing two singles. Reliever Vic Black got out of that jam.

DeGrom had location and life on a fastball that peaked in the mid-90s, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

“We didn’t square up many balls today,” said the skipper.

The closest thing to a rally came in the ninth after Khris Davis reached first on an infield single with one out. The play stood following a replay review.

Mejia got Mark Reynolds to strike out before Segura singled to put the tying run on base. After Overbay grounded out, Mejia savored the save with his animated celebration.

The rookie starters matched scoreless innings early. Nelson allowed four doubles and got into a little trouble in missing high with his sinker, but finished with six strikeouts in seven innings. He was also helped by three double plays.

But that one slider he left up to Duda proved to be the difference. At least Nelson got to smile after singling up the middle in the third for his first career hit in 66 at-bats as a professional, dating back to the minor leagues.

“I think my thumbs are still in the batter’s box,” Nelson said. “It’s been a while since I got one of those, about 10 years.”

DeGrom won his fourth straight start, each time getting into the seventh. The most worrisome pitch for the righty came when Reynolds hit a towering fly ball to left that appeared to hit the heavy wires that support Miller Park’s retractable roof.

The ball caromed back into fair territory, and Davis, at first, was racing around third when he was held up after the umpires ruled the play foul. DeGrom then struck out Reynolds looking.

The right-hander with curly brown hair flowing out from under his blue cap had hitters swinging through fastballs that peaked in the mid-90s. He finished with four strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 2.81.

“He’s been very good. I guess he has to go out each time and prove it,” Collins said. “He was very good today.”

NOTES: The Mets improved to 22-13 in day games. … 3B Aramis Ramirez, who was 2 for 24 on the seven-game homestand, had a day off before popping out in the seventh as a pinch hitter. … Manager Ron Roenicke indicated 2B Scooter Gennett could return to action full time when the Brewers open a three-game series Monday in Tampa … Bartolo Colon (9-8) starts when the Mets return to the Citi Field for the first time since the All-Star break to play the Phillies on Monday. … Kyle Lohse (11-4) opens the three-game series against the Rays for Milwaukee.

___

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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