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Dodgers beat D-backs 2-1 on Kemp’s 18th homer

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dan Haren is back in a groove after enduring the worst stretch of his career throughout most of July.

The veteran right-hander pitched well on two extra days of rest, Matt Kemp homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 Friday night.

Haren (12-10) allowed one run and four hits in six innings against his former team. He struck out six and walked one, improving to 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA since Aug. 6.

Haren stumbled through five consecutive losses from July 5 to Aug. 1.

“Absolutely I lost my confidence,” he said.

Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said the rest of the team couldn’t tell.

“He didn’t show it to us, which is the sign of a great teammate,” Ellis said. “I’m really happy for him that he turned it around.”

Haren even singled to center in the second when the bunt sign was removed after two strikes. His 12th win marked the first time since 1985 that the Dodgers have had four pitchers with 12 or more in a season.

“I’ve got four starts left here and I need to make them as good as I can for the team,” said Haren, who signed a one-year deal last fall. “We’ve got to win these.”

Kenley Jansen worked a perfect ninth, becoming the fourth Dodgers reliever to save 40 games in a season and the first since Eric Gagne in 2004. Jansen blew his fifth chance of the year Wednesday while attempting a four-out save in the team’s 14-inning loss to Washington.

He tossed the landmark ball into the crowd.

“I should have kept that ball, but that kid will enjoy that ball,” he said.

After losing four of their previous six, the Dodgers stayed two games ahead of second-place San Francisco in the NL West. Seventeen of Los Angeles’ final 21 games are against division opponents.

“Our schedule ain’t as easy as it looks,” Kemp said. “We need everybody to step their game up here in September. These next couple of weeks are going to be very important for us.”

Vidal Nuno (0-5) gave up two runs and seven hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked two. The left-hander hasn’t won since June 27 against Boston. He retired a career-best 22 straight batters until giving up a two-out single to Adrian Gonzalez in the first.

“The first three innings were a little difficult. I was missing my spots,” Nuno said. “I just found it in the third, after the home run, and just settled down a little bit and just threw strikes and not be in the middle of the plate.”

The Dodgers got just enough offense to eke out the win.

Yasiel Puig’s slump continued after an 0-for-3 effort, including a strikeout and a walk. He is 4 for 40 with one extra-base hit in his last 15 games.

Kemp led off the third with his 18th homer, sending an 0-1 pitch into the Arizona bullpen in right field.

The Dodgers led 1-0 on Hanley Ramirez’s RBI single with two outs in the second that scored A.J. Ellis, who walked.

Arizona closed to 2-1 in the fourth on Didi Gregorius’ sacrifice fly.

“We tried to stay as selective as we could depending on how Dan ended up attacking us. But he was throwing strikes,” Diamondbacks first baseman Mark Trumbo said. “We had to be aggressive.”

The Diamondbacks have allowed three runs or fewer in nine straight games, tying the club’s longest streak since Sept. 25, 2005, to April 5, 2006.

KEMP’S HOMER

After hitting his 175th homer, Kemp is two behind Mike Piazza for fourth in Dodgers history. Kemp extended his season high-tying hitting streak to 11 games since Aug. 22, during which he’s batting .364 with five doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Relief pitcher Brad Ziegler will have season-ending surgery on his left knee Tuesday to repair frayed cartilage under the kneecap.

Dodgers: LHP Paco Rodriguez, on the disabled list since Aug. 4 with a shoulder strain, had a setback. He was sore on Thursday, a day after his bullpen session, so a simulated game set for Friday was scrubbed. Manager Don Mattingly said he still thinks there’s time for Rodriguez to return this season.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: Chase Anderson (8-6, 3.75 ERA) starts and is one-third of an inning shy of tying his career best of 137 2-3 innings pitched in 2012. He’s allowed two runs or fewer in six of his last nine starts.

Dodgers: Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-6, 3.18 ERA) takes the mound. He is 2-0 with 0.00 ERA against the Diamondbacks this season.

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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