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Rangers give up 4 quick homers in 5-1 loss to A’s

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nick Tepesch needed one out to get himself through six innings of one-hit ball against the highest-scoring team in the majors.

Turned out to be a tall order.

Tepesch gave up consecutive home runs to John Jaso and Yoenis Cespedes that sent the Oakland Athletics on their way to a 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.

Before that, Tepesch (3-7) had allowed only a second-inning single to Brandon Moss.

“It was really good up until that homer,” the right-hander said. “I just made a bad pitch with a changeup. Not much I can do about that.”

Rangers manager Ron Washington expressed similar sentiments about Tepesch’s outing.

“I thought he did great,” Washington said. “He made two pitches — the changeup he left up to Jaso and the fastball he got out over the plate to Cespedes. He was in command all night, and they powered the ball out of the ballpark.”

Josh Donaldson led off the seventh with another home run, and Josh Reddick connected two batters later. That gave the A’s four home runs in a six-batter span to back the latest stingy outing by Sonny Gray.

Tepesch exited with a 2-1 count to Donaldson because of soreness in his left knee. Nate Adcock, making his season debut, served up the homers to Donaldson and Reddick.

Oakland’s late power display prevented the Rangers, who own the worst record in the majors, from winning consecutive games for the first time since June 27-28.

Tepesch threw 99 pitches in a start last Sunday and then made a relief appearance two days later in a 14-inning loss when the Rangers ran out of relievers. He had this start pushed back a day.

Washington said Tepesch was removed for precautionary reasons and the knee problem wasn’t connected to Tuesday’s emergency relief outing.

Gray (12-3) won his sixth straight decision, allowing seven hits over 6 2-3 innings. He didn’t give up more than one earned run in any of his five July starts.

Gray hasn’t lost since June 13. In four starts this season against Texas, he has a 1.84 ERA.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s tough to follow around when you’re a hitter. And, on top of that, he’s quite the competitor.”

The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when J.P. Arencibia singled home Jim Adduci. They threatened in the fifth with runners on first and second and two outs, but Arencibia went down swinging for Gray’s third strikeout of the inning and fifth of the game.

All seven of the Rangers’ hits were singles (they’re 14th in the AL in homers). They grounded into two double plays (they rank 14th in that category) and had a runner picked off first base (they’re worst in the league in caught stealing).

“You’ve got to put yourself in situations to be able to get some hits,” said Adduci, the only Texas batter with two hits. “But that’s part of the game. You kind of just look forward to tomorrow and get ready to go.”

Arencibia appears rejuvenated following a stint at Triple-A Round Rock. He was sent down in mid-May with a .133 batting average, one homer and five RBIs after appearing in 20 games. In nine games since his return, he has three homers and seven RBIs in nine games.

Adcock, called up from Round Rock on Thursday, became the team-record 32nd pitcher used this season by Texas.

NOTES: Oakland’s starter on Sunday, Scott Kazmir, ranks second in the AL with a 2.32 ERA. He hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of his last four starts. … Rangers LHP Derek Holland (knee) will make his first rehab start Wednesday for Double-A Frisco if a Monday bullpen session goes well. … A’s infielder Alberto Callaspo (hamstring) is scheduled to be activated for Sunday’s series finale.

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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