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Rangers struggle again in 9-3 loss to A’s

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A rough month didn’t get any better for Texas on Sunday night, even though the game-time temperature of 100 degrees would have seemed to be in the Rangers’ favor against Oakland.

However, they trailed 5-0 in the second inning en route to a 9-3 loss to the Athletics. Texas has lost 15 of its last 18 and dropped to 4-19 in July.

Oakland’s John Jaso drove in three runs, helping Scott Kazmir to his 12th win — tied for the American League lead.

“Tonight, it was just the pitching,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “We couldn’t muster anything.”

The Rangers’ own pitching, clutch hitting and fielding, weren’t very good either.

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 major league win as a starter, over the Yankees July 21.

“I fell into some of the bad habits that we’d been working on in the bullpen,” Mikolas said. “I executed well and made the transition well in the New York game, and kind of fell back. I’m going to work on it.”

Mikolas made a miscue in the second inning that cost him.

With one out, he walked Jed Lowrie and Eric Sogard. Craig Gentry, the No. 9 hitter, hit a soft grounder to Mikolas, who threw to second hoping to start a double play but the ball went into center field. Lowrie scored on the play.

“I kind of fell away from that throw,” Mikolas said. “It was a poor throw, but those kind of mistakes happen.”

Jaso and Vogt followed with run-scoring hits. Cespedes doubled to drive in the final two runs.

In the third and fifth innings, Rangers No. 5 batter J.P. Arencibia went to the plate with a total of five runners on base. Kazmir struck him out both times.

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

Arencibia was not available for comment.

Jaso had added a two-run double in the fifth, when Oakland extended the lead to 8-2.

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) allowed seven hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out two.

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

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 that cut their deficit to 5-2.

“Any time you score a couple runs on one hit, you’re going to get a little momentum,” Rosales said. “But being down by five early in the game it is kind of tough. We tried our best.”

Adrian Beltre added a solo shot off reliever Evan Scribner in the eighth. Beltre was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

Jaso has an 11-game hitting streak against Texas and a 15-game streak as the Athletics’ leadoff batter. He is batting .394 (13 for 33) against the Rangers this season.

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

NOTES: 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.

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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