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Bumgarner gem, Pence’s 2 HRs take Giants past Mets

By WTOP Staff

RICK FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — On a weekend full of fine pitching performances and brisk games, Madison Bumgarner tossed the best game yet.

His two-hit shutout was far more than the Giants needed, and two home runs by Hunter Pence helped them beat the New York Mets 9-0 Sunday.

Bumgarner also singled, walked and scored two runs.

“He helps himself as much as any pitcher,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “You throw a shutout, it’s always impressive, but the way he pitched today, it’s fun to watch.

Bumgarner (13-8) beat the Mets again, running his record to 3-0 in five games against them and helping the Giants to their third win in 10 games. Brandon Belt and Buster Posey also went deep for San Francisco.

The left-hander struck out 10 and walked one in his second career shutout (the other was a one-hitter in 2012 against the Reds), wrapping up Sunday’s gem with a punch out of pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud to wrap up the game in a tidy 94 pitches.

“Fastball command is what set up that whole game for us.” Bumgarner said. “When you’re feeling good on days like today, you can go after guys,”

On Friday night, Ryan Vogelsong gave up two hits and one run in a game that ended in 2 hours, 6 minutes. On Saturday night, New York’s Jacob deGrom and Jake Peavy both took no-hitters into the seventh inning.

Mets starter Bartolo Colon (10-9) was going for win No. 200, but the Giants got to him with a couple of home runs that barely cleared the walls before he started to look eminently hittable in the three-run fifth inning. Pence’s two-run shot in the third was a line drive that went off the railing above the moved-in fence in left field. Brandon Belt hit a towering fly to right that tucked in just over the fence and inside the pole there for a 3-0 lead.

“I was real surprised, after he gets going into a game he actually gets better and better, today he just really did not have his good stuff,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Pence hit a solo shot off Dana Eveland in the ninth inning.

“Each at bat is a completely new and separate at-bat,” Pence said. “See the ball, hit the ball. That’s my approach to hitting.”

Bumgarner singled and scored his first of two runs on Pence’s double in the fifth, and Posey drove him in before Pablo Sandoval’s single ended Colon’s afternoon. The easygoing 41-year-old right-hander tossed the ball gently in the air on the mound as he waited for Collins to remove him.

“It is almost better that Bart had one of these days because the offense was not doing anything,” David Wright said.

Colon allowed six runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings as he tried for his 200th career win.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: OF Angel Pagan (back) was set to continue his rehab assignment with a move to Triple-A Fresno, where the organization hopes to get him in games Monday and Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Giants: Right-hander Tim Hudson (8-8) has a 1.77 ERA in his three starts since the All-Star break. He had a no-decision against the Mets earlier this season in San Francisco in a game the Giants won 5-4 on June 7.

Mets: Righty Dillon Gee (4-4) makes his fifth career start against the Giants, against whom he has a 6.75 ERA and 0-1 record.

BARTOLO AT THE BAT

Fans could be heard groaning in disappointment for all three of Colon’s swing-and-misses during his third-inning at bat, but applauded his effort as he returned to the dugout.

BACK IN BASH

The Giants entered Sunday’s game with two home runs in their past 10 games, but added four against New York pitching. Pence hit Nos. 14 and 15 this season, while Posey’s was his 13th and Belt hit his 11th.

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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