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Dodgers’ 7-2 loss completes Brewers’ sweep

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers were trying to avoid getting swept in a three-game series for the first time this season. Dan Haren was attempting to win three consecutive starts for the first time in over a year.

The Milwaukee Brewers had other ideas.

Jonathan Lucroy tied a season high with five RBIs, including his first home run in more than three weeks, and the NL Central leaders beat the West-leading Dodgers 7-2 on Sunday in the final scheduled meeting between the clubs.

“We played a really good team and they showed why. They have a very deep lineup and good pitching,” Haren said. “I mean, they’re in first place, so it’s not like we got swept by some last-place team.”

The Brewers took five of six from the Dodgers, including two games that Zack Greinke started, and one against Clayton Kershaw. The two-time Cy Young Award winner gave up two homers Saturday night in a 3-2 loss to Yovani Gallardo — the first complete-game loss of Kershaw’s seven-year career.

“They came in here and got us good again,” manager Don Mattingly said. “In a sense, they came in here and said: ‘We think we’re better than you.’ And for these three games, they were. We didn’t do much with them offensively.”

“This series this year reminds me of the Atlanta series last year,” Mattingly added. “All year long, it seemed like whatever we did, nothing worked against Atlanta during the regular season. We had trouble with them all year. Then we were able to get them in the postseason. Hopefully we get an opportunity like that again.”

The Dodgers’ fourth loss in five games, coupled with San Francisco’s 5-2 win over Philadelphia, reduced their division lead over the Giants to 3 1/2 games.

Haren (10-10) gave up six runs and five hits over three innings in his shortest outing of the season, following consecutive victories against the Angels and Braves.

Two of the runs on the right-hander’s line were unearned, the result of an error by three-time Gold Glove first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who dropped a short throw from second baseman Dee Gordon on a grounder by Jean Segura in the second.

“Dan very easily could’ve been out of that. It should have been a 1-2-3 inning, but it ended up being a bad inning,” Mattingly said. “And by the time he gives up another one the next inning, he’s pretty much out of gas and out of pitches.”

Haren, who came in averaging 1.86 walks per nine innings, opened the game by walking Carlos Gomez and giving up Lucroy’s 13th homer. He walked Gomez again with two out in the second, and Lucroy cleared the bases with his NL-leading 40th double to give the Brewers a 5-0 lead.

“I definitely was trying to pitch Gomez carefully, and he didn’t swing at anything out of the zone,” Haren said. “With a guy with the amount of power he has, you’ve got to be a little careful. And when he gets on first base, he’s a threat to run. So you’ve always got to be conscious of that and be a little quicker to the plate to the next guy.”

Wily Peralta (15-7) tied Johnny Cueto and Adam Wainwright for the major league lead in victories, allowing five hits in six scoreless innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: 2B Scooter Gennett’s troublesome right quad has curtailed his ability to run the bases at maximum efficiency — as was the case in the third, when he was held at third on a double to right-center by Khris Davis for the second time in the series.

Dodgers: At this point, only hip surgery will end RHP Josh Beckett’s season prematurely. “I have not heard anything about him getting shut down for the whole year,” Mattingly said. “We’re going to do everything to have him have the opportunity to pitch again this year. But I don’t think we look at Josh as somebody who would come out of the bullpen for us.”

UP NEXT

Brewers: Mike Fiers (2-1, 1.29 ERA) pitches Tuesday night’s series opener against Toronto. Last Tuesday, he struck out 14 in a 6-2 win over the Cubs, ending a Brewers streak of 286 consecutive games without a double-digit strikeout performance.

Dodgers: Kevin Correia opens the three-game series against San Diego, his second start since he was acquired Aug. 9 from Minnesota and replaced Beckett in the rotation.

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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