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Williams, Blanco push Phillies past Mariners 4-1

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Maybe Jerome Williams just needed a new catcher.

Williams took a three-hitter into the eighth inning, Andres Blanco hit his first homer in three years, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1 in an interleague game Monday night.

Making his second start since joining the Phillies, Williams (1-0) allowed one run and three hits in seven-plus innings.

“I’m doing things I haven’t done before because he has confidence in me,” Williams said about catcher Carlos Ruiz. “My game plan wasn’t working this year. That’s why I’m on my third team. We’re just using the same weapons, but moving the ball around. With Chooch behind the plate, I’m not shaking him off. I trust him. I was hard-headed before. I wanted to do it my way. My way got me off two teams.”

The Phillies claimed Williams off waivers from Texas to fill a spot in the rotation after Roberto Hernandez was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Williams was 2-5 with a 6.71 ERA for the Rangers and Houston this season. But he has a 2.19 ERA in 12 1-3 innings with Philadelphia.

“Jerome was solid, had a stress-free outing,” manager Ryne Sandberg said. “He was outstanding.”

Mariners rookie Roenis Elias (9-10) gave up one run and three hits in four innings. The left-hander constantly pitched out of jams because he walked six and hit one batter with a pitch.

“I was erratic with my fastball,” Elias said through a translator. “I felt good physically, but it just wasn’t my day.”

Blanco connected for a three-run shot off reliever Dominic Leone in the fifth to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead. It was his first home run since July 1, 2011, for Texas against Florida.

“I feel proud coming back,” Blanco said of returning to the majors after missing two years following shoulder surgery.

Marlon Byrd’s RBI double in the third gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Elias escaped further trouble by striking out Cody Asche with the bases loaded. Elias also left the bases full in the fourth by retiring Ryan Howard on a grounder.

Williams left after hitting Chris Taylor with a pitch leading off the eighth. Ken Giles entered and allowed an RBI double to Dustin Ackley with one out. Giles then struck out Robinson Cano and Kendrys Morales to leave runners on second and third.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save in 32 tries.

Seattle had won 12 of its previous 16 games. The Mariners fell into a tie with Detroit for the second wild-card spot in the AL. They’re seeking their first postseason appearance since 2001.

The last-place Phillies, who are heading toward their second straight losing season, opened a nine-game homestand with just their third win in the last 10 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez is fine after an early exit and plans to start at Boston on Friday night. The five-time All-Star left after five innings because he was hit by a one-hopper off Ian Kinsler’s bat in the fourth inning of his most recent start Saturday in Detroit.

Phillies: OF John Mayberry Jr. is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday. Mayberry has been sidelined since July 21 because of an injured left wrist. He’s batting .213 with six homers and 21 RBIs.

UP NEXT

Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (11-6, 2.72 ERA) goes Tuesday night. He is 3-1 with a 1.27 ERA in his last four starts.

Phillies: RHP A.J. Burnett (6-13, 4.35 ERA) tries to snap a five-game losing streak. Burnett hasn’t won since July 11. He’s 0-5 with a 6.54 ERA in his last six starts.

BIG BEN

Phillies CF Ben Revere was 2 for 5, raising his average to .315, second in the NL to Justin Morneau’s .323. The Phillies haven’t had a batting champion since Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn hit .350 in 1958. Revere has only 13 RBIs. The fewest RBIs for a batting champ is 27 by Matty Alou in 1966.

WELCOME TO PHILLY

The Mariners played their first game in Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004. Seattle swept a three-game series at Veterans Stadium in 2003 in its only other trip to Philadelphia.

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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