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Jaso has 3 RBIs as A’s beat Rangers 9-3

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — It doesn’t matter to John Jaso whether he’s Oakland’s leadoff batter, as long as he’s playing. For the Athletics, he’s extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting.

Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. The A’s catcher had a run-scoring single during a five-run second inning and added a two-run double in the fifth.

“I like (leadoff) because I’m in the lineup,” Jaso said. “I don’t care where.”

Manager Bob Melvin said Crisp, who has led off in 69 of the Athletics’ 105 games, was going back to Oakland to be examined by the doctors who have been treating a recurring neck injury.

“When Coco’s out, we certainly need a guy against right-handers,” Melvin said. “(Jaso) takes a lot of pitches, and he can be aggressive.”

Jaso was leading off for the 15th time this season and has had at least one hit each game while batting .380 (19 for 50) in that role. He entered the game with an overall .360 on-base percentage.

The Athletics’ first three batters — Jaso, Stephen Vogt and Yoenis Cespedes — each had a double and a single, and Josh Reddick added three singles.

Kazmir (12-3) moved into a tie for the American League lead in wins while allowing seven hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out two.

“It was maybe not his best command at times,” Melvin said. “But seeing him be so good this season, that five-inning outing doesn’t look so good.”

Kazmir would not use the 100-degree temperature at game time as an excuse.

“It’s tough to have nice weather in Oakland and come here to pitch. It kind of drains you in the beginning. I felt great. I was just inconsistent.”

Kazmir got out of the third and fifth innings by striking out Texas’ J.P. Arencibia for the final out each time with a total of five runners on base.

“It was pretty much the same sequence,” Kazmir said. “Off-speed the first two pitches, and tried to finish him off hard. That was big those two innings.”

Rangers manager Ron Washington said: “That’s J.P. I don’t think he can change. We gotta live with it.”

The victory enabled Oakland to remain two games ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Angels in the AL West. The Athletics are 7-5 against the Rangers this season.

Adam Rosales had a two-run homer in the second for the Rangers, and Adrian Beltre added a solo shot off reliever Evan Scribner in the eighth. Beltre was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

Miles Mikolas (1-3) allowed seven earned runs on seven hits and four walks in 4 2-3 innings.

He was coming off his first win as a major league starter, over the Yankees July 21.

“I executed well and made the transition well in the New York game, and kind of fell back into (bad habits),” Mikolas said. “It’s hard to break those bad habits, so we’ll do more work on it.”

Jaso also has an 11-game hitting streak against the Rangers.

“I don’t know what it is. I’ve hit some home runs here. The warm weather is nice, and they have a lot of righties.”

Jaso’s single was against Mikolas. Washington brought in left-hander Ryan Feierabend in to face Jaso in the fifth, and he ripped his two-run double with two out.

NOTES: Oakland activated INF Alberto Callaspo (strained right hamstring) from the disabled list and optioned 1B Nate Freiman to Triple-A Sacramento. . Rangers LHP Derek Holland is scheduled to pitch two innings in his first game this season Wednesday on an injury-rehab assignment for Double-A Frisco. Holland, on the 60-day disabled list following offseason surgery on his left knee, threw in the bullpen and took fielding practice before Sunday’s game. … Texas rookie RHP Roman Mendez pitched a perfect eighth inning. He has not allowed a run in 11 innings during his first eight major league games. … RHP Nick Tepesch, who left Saturday’s start in the seventh inning because of a sore left knee, said he plans to make his next scheduled start Friday in Cleveland.

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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