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Rays’ slide continues with 8-4 loss to Red Sox

By WTOP Staff

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The sliding Tampa Bay Rays couldn’t recover from an early eight-run deficit.

Rookie Mookie Betts hit his first career grand slam, Anthony Ranaudo pitched six effective innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Rays 8-4 Friday night.

The Rays have lost nine of 13.

After Yoenis Cespedes drove in his second run of the game with a double, Betts connected off Chris Archer (8-7) to cap a five-run second inning that made it 8-0.

“I didn’t execute many pitches,” Archer said. “The game has a funny way of humbling you and tonight was a very humbling experience.”

It was the first homer allowed by Archer, who allowed eight runs and 10 hits over four innings, since David Ortiz took him deep on July 27.

There were no incidents in the first meeting between the teams since Archer and the Rays took issue with the way Ortiz acted after that three-run homer last month. Archer made a point then of saying he didn’t appreciate Ortiz flipping his bat before beginning his home run trot, and added that the star DH “feels like he’s bigger than the game.”

Former Rays ace David Price, traded to Detroit July 31, and Ortiz began feuding after Big Papi homered off the former AL Cy Young winner last fall in the AL championship series. Price hit Ortiz with a fastball May 30, leading to more verbal sparring.

Ortiz singled in five at-bats.

Brandon Guyer hit a two-run homer in the fifth and added an RBI single in the ninth for the Rays.

Ranaudo (3-0), recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game, gave up three runs and five hits. He has won all three of his big league starts.

Cespedes, Daniel Nava and Will Middlebrooks each hit RBI singles during a three-run first. The Rays also made an error in the inning, and have committed at least one error in six consecutive games.

“It broke badly,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “We made a couple mistakes.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Manager John Farrell fully expects INF Xander Bogaerts to be reinstated Saturday from the seven-day concussion list.

Rays: CF Desmond Jennings was a late scratch due to left knee soreness. … OF Wil Myers had an infield single in four at-bats and is 6 for 37 with 14 strikeouts since returning from a broken right wrist that kept him sidelined for 70 games.

HOME COOKING?

The Rays are 29-37 at home this season. In contrast, Tampa Bay has a 36-33 road mark.

UP NEXT

Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (9-11) and Red Sox RHP Allen Webster (3-2) are Saturday night’s scheduled starters. Webster gave up two runs, three hits and five walks in 5 1-3 innings to beat Archer on July 27.

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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