Skip to main content

Carter hits 36th HR, Astros beat slumping A’s 4-3

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Even as their once-promising season continues to unravel, the Oakland Athletics are trying to keep a positive outlook.

It’s a task that’s getting more difficult for manager Bob Melvin’s club with each passing day.

Chris Carter hit his 36th homer and drove in three runs against his former team to help the Houston Astros beat the slumping A’s 4-3 on Friday night.

The loss dropped Oakland six games behind the first-place Los Angeles Angels in the AL West with 22 left. Owners of the best record in the majors on Aug. 9, the A’s have gone 7-17 since.

“We understand what’s at stake and where we’re at and how things are going,” losing pitcher Jeff Samardzija said. “We’re trying to find that happy zone of not trying to press too hard and have fun, but also understanding that we need to do things a little differently.”

The problem continues to be the A’s lack of hitting.

Oakland’s anemic offense managed seven hits but stranded eight runners and failed to score after loading the bases with none out in the fourth.

Houston starter Brett Oberholtzer got Craig Gentry to hit into a forceout before Josh Donaldson grounded into a 5-2-3 double play.

“You can’t continue to put pressure on our pitching like this,” Melvin said. “If we can score some runs there, it’s a completely different game. If we can add on, certainly the tone of the game is a lot different going forward.”

The A’s still led 3-2 before Carter hit his two-run homer off Samardzija (4-5).

Carter added an RBI single, Jon Singleton also homered and Jose Altuve had two hits for Houston, unbeaten in three games since firing manager Bo Porter on Monday. It was the Astros’ fifth straight win overall, two shy of their season high.

“Beating the A’s and Angels, teams in our division, is fun,” Carter said. “I’m always excited to play here. This is where I played my first game.”

Oberholtzer (5-10) allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings to end his two-game losing streak. The left-hander struck out one and walked two.

Jose Veras retired two batters and Tony Sipp pitched two scoreless innings for his third save.

Carter has routinely beaten up on A’s pitching since being dealt to the Astros as part of a multiplayer trade in 2013.

His home run was his seventh against Oakland this year and eighth overall. His 20 RBIs against the A’s are his most against any club this season.

“We’d thrown some fastballs by him earlier in the game and I thought it was a good choice,” Samardzija said. “He just put good wood on it and hit it out.”

Samardzija took the loss, his fourth in five starts. He fanned nine and did not walk a batter for the eighth time this season.

The right-hander retired his first seven batters before giving up Singleton’s solo home run in the third.

The A’s came back with three runs in the bottom half.

Derek Norris singled in Alberto Callaspo with the bases loaded, and Craig Gentry scored on the same play when the ball skipped past right fielder Jake Marisnick for an error. Adam Dunn’s RBI single to right beat the defensive shift by the Astros’ infield and made it 3-1.

GOING SIX DEEP

The Astros plan to start rookie RHP Nick Tropeano on Wednesday in Seattle and will go with a six-man rotation for the remainder of the season. Tropeano was called up from the minors this week and will make his major league debut against the Mariners.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Interim manager Tom Lawless said the team hopes to get OF George Springer back for the final six games of the season. Springer has missed 43 games due to a left quadriceps strain.

Athletics: Stephen Vogt (left ankle sprain) will not play in the series against the Astros. … LHP Sean Doolittle (strained intercostal) is scheduled to throw on flat ground Saturday. If all goes well for the Oakland closer, the next step will be throwing off a mound.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Scott Feldman (8-10) is coming off his second career shutout, a three-hitter against Texas. He has beaten Oakland only once in five career starts.

Athletics: LHP Scott Kazmir (14-7) had a 7.80 ERA over his six starts in August.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote