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Mariners top Rangers 7-5 after Washington resigns

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon thinks Kendrys Morales brings a certain presence to the lineup, even if he hasn’t hit many home runs this season.

Morales launched two of Seattle’s four homers in a 7-5 win over Texas on Friday night, handing the Rangers their seventh straight loss only hours after manager Ron Washington resigned unexpectedly.

“A lot of times it’s not all black and white when it comes to what a guy does in a lineup, and he stretches out our lineup quite a bit,” McClendon said of Morales, who came in hitting .224 with four homers. “He brings respectability to our lineup. Tonight was a big night for him.”

The Mariners, who are in a tight race with Oakland and Detroit atop the AL wild-card standings, won their fourth straight after losing five of their previous seven games.

Interim Texas manager Tim Bogar took the familiar seat along the railing of the home dugout long occupied by Washington, who said in a statement that he was stepping down to devote all his time to an “off-the-field personal matter.” The Rangers wouldn’t elaborate.

Washington walked away before the end of his eighth season a day after the Rangers became the first team in the majors mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Only three years ago, Washington took Texas to consecutive World Series.

It was the debut as a big league manager for Bogar, who was in his first season as Washington’s bench coach. He was a minor league manager for five seasons.

“I don’t think fans here in this area have seen anybody in that seat for eight years,” Bogar said. “And I’ve got to do it after an icon, so it’s a little bittersweet.”

Morales went deep to right field against Scott Baker (3-4) to put the Mariners ahead 2-0 in the second inning. His sixth homer of the season was another two-run shot in the sixth.

“I haven’t gotten there as fast as I would have liked, but hopefully today is the start of something better,” Morales said through a translator.

Mike Zunino became the first Seattle catcher with 20 homers, breaking Miguel Olivo’s club record of 19 set in 2011. Brad Miller hit his 10th.

Hisashi Iwakuma (14-6) matched Felix Hernandez for the team lead in wins.

Iwakuma won his fifth decision in a row, allowing three runs with five strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings. Fernando Rodney gave up a run in the ninth but finished for his 42nd save in 45 chances.

The Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth against the Japanese right-hander, who got Elvis Andrus on a double-play grounder that scored a run and escaped the inning with another groundout to second from Tomas Telis.

HEADS UP

Iwakuma ended up catching a line drive from Ryan Rua in a purely defensive move with the ball headed for his face in the second inning.

Iwakuma turned his head just as the ball reached his glove, with a wide-eyed look of relief. The scare came a batter after Adrian Beltre hit a sharp one-hopper that glanced off Iwakuma’s glove to second baseman Robinson Cano, who threw out Beltre at first.

“Just reaction,” Iwakuma said. “I didn’t even know the ball was in the glove.”

TRAINERS ROOM

Mariners: RF Endy Chavez left in the fifth inning after getting cut above his left eye sliding headfirst into second base on a successful steal. His helmet appeared to cause the cut when it came off just as his head collided with the left knee of Texas SS Luis Sardinas. Chavez, who got three stitches, was not diagnosed with a concussion and was expected to be available Saturday.

Rangers: RF Alex Rios has an infection associated with the bruise on his right thumb and will be out at least a week. … There was no update from team doctors on the latest exam of Yu Darvish’s right elbow.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Chris Young, a Dallas native who had his major league debut with the Rangers nine years ago, makes his second start of the season in Texas’ home park. He’s coming off the shortest start of his career after allowing five runs in two-thirds of an inning in a 6-1 loss to Oakland.

Rangers RHP Nick Martinez faces Seattle for the second time in three starts. He gave up five runs with four walks and no strikeouts in five innings of a 5-0 loss on Aug. 26.

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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