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Feldman pitches 3-hitter, Astros blank Rangers 2-0

By WTOP Staff

HOUSTON (AP) — Scott Feldman said he felt terrible warming up in the bullpen before Saturday night’s game against Texas.

Once he got on the mound, he felt a lot better — and it showed.

Feldman pitched a three-hitter for his second major league shutout, leading the Houston Astros to a 2-0 victory over the Rangers.

“That goes to show you, that doesn’t always add up to what you bring out to the game,” Feldman said, referring to his bullpen session.

Feldman (8-10) struck out five and walked one in his fourth career complete game and second this month. He also had one Aug. 3 against Toronto, yielding one run and eight hits in that game.

“I think I’ve been feeling better and better as the season’s gone on, kind of just hope to keep that going the rest of the year,” Feldman said.

The three hits allowed matched a career best for Feldman, who also threw a three-hitter against San Diego on May 1, 2013. His other shutout was Sept. 6, 2013, against the Chicago White Sox.

“That is as good as I’ve seen him pitch,” Houston manager Bo Porter said. “When you look at some of the swings that they were taking — not only out of the zone but in the strike zone — that lets you know just how much the ball was moving, sinking and cutting.”

Held hitless for the first five innings by Robbie Ross Jr., the Astros scored twice in the seventh off reliever Phil Klein (0-2).

Carlos Corporan doubled to put runners at second and third, and Jake Marisnick had an RBI infield single. Corporan scored on Klein’s throwing error to first.

Ross was pulled after five innings and 70 pitches. He was on a strict pitch count after throwing 42 in 2 1-3 innings Thursday for Triple-A Round Rock. The left-hander was recalled Saturday to make a spot start in place of Miles Mikolas, skipped due to shoulder fatigue.

“I felt good,” Ross said. “I felt strong. They told me the pitch count got to me. I told them I would love to go back out there.”

Ross struck out five and walked three. Jose Altuve got Houston’s first hit, a one-out double in the sixth off Klein.

“He was outstanding,” Texas manager Ron Washington said of Ross. “But it was about Robbie Ross, protecting him.”

Feldman retired his first 13 batters before Ryan Rua’s one-out single in the fifth.

Rougned Odor hit a leadoff single in the sixth, Adrian Beltre walked with one out in the seventh and Leonys Martin singled with one out in the ninth for the only other runners Feldman permitted. The right-hander did not allow anyone past second base.

Feldman has been solid of late, giving up three runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: LHP Derek Holland (left knee) was activated from the 60-day disabled list and will make his first start of the season Tuesday in Kansas City.

Astros: INF Marwin Gonzalez was scratched from the lineup with discomfort in his right hamstring. Gregorio Petit started at shortstop for Gonzalez. … OF George Springer (left quadriceps) is not ready to move forward with explosive activity, Porter said. There is no timetable for when Springer might return. “At this point, we just go day to day and see how he progresses and continues with the therapy,” Porter said.

UP NEXT

Texas RHP Nick Martinez (3-10) looks to rebound Sunday in the finale of the four-game series. He was tagged for five runs over five innings in his most recent start Tuesday.

The Astros will send LHP Dallas Keuchel (10-9) to the mound for his fourth start against the Rangers this season.

SUSPENDED

Astros minor league pitcher Ruben Alaniz was suspended 50 games without pay for violating baseball’s drug program. The commissioner’s office announced that Alaniz was punished following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

The 23-year-old right-hander has no record and a 6.44 ERA in 14 games, including one start, with Double-A Corpus Christi this season.

ROSTER MOVES

Texas designated OF Mike Carp for assignment. … The Rangers optioned RHP Nick Tepesch to Triple-A Round Rock to make room for Ross. Tepesch is scheduled to start for Texas on Wednesday in Kansas City.

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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