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Dodgers rally with 3 in 8th to beat D-Backs 5-2

By WTOP Staff

JOE RESNICK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The number of times the Los Angeles Dodgers have used Kenley Jansen — even in non-save situations — shows the number of close games they have played and how much success they’ve had this season.

Dee Gordon hit a go-ahead RBI single during a three-run eighth inning and Jansen got his 41st save, leading the Dodgers to a 5-2 victory over Arizona on Saturday night. Their 14th victory in 18 meetings with the Diamondbacks kept the defending NL West champions two games ahead of San Francisco in the division standings after the Giants won 5-4 at Detroit.

“You want to play these kind of games,” said the Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez, who had a two-run homer. “You don’t want to have blowouts, because you’re going to play tight games in the playoffs. Tight games, no matter who they’re against, are always good leading into October.”

Juan Uribe led off the eighth with a single against Daniel Hudson (0-1), making his second appearance since returning from two Tommy John surgeries in consecutive years. Roger Bernadina ran for Uribe and beat the throw to second from third baseman Aaron Hill, who was attempting an inning-ending double play on a grounder by pinch-hitter Justin Turner.

All runners were safe on the fielder’s choice, and Gordon worked the count to 3-2 before lining his clutch hit to center field. Hanley Ramirez then greeted Will Harris with a two-run double.

Brian Wilson (2-3) got three outs for the victory and Jansen pitched a scoreless ninth.

Hyun-Jin Ryu escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the Arizona second inning and carried a 2-0 lead into seventh with the help of Gonzalez’s two-run homer in the first against Chase Anderson. But the Diamondbacks tied it with an RBI double by Cody Ross and a run-scoring single by pinch-hitter A.J. Pollock that chased the left-hander after 114 pitches.

“It was the normal things that make him difficult,” D-Backs cleanup hitter Mark Trumbo said. “He has exceptional control, throws any pitch anytime in the count and doesn’t care if he gets behind. So you know you’re in for a battle going into it, and that’s what we got.”

The Diamondbacks, who fell a season-worst 21 games out of first place one day after general manager Kevin Towers was fired, opened the second with a double by Trumbo, a single by Aaron Hill and a walk to Ross. But Left fielder Carl Crawford made a sliding catch of Tuffy Gosewisch’s sinking liner for the second out as Trumbo held at third, and Ryu struck out Anderson.

Gordon led off the Dodgers’ first with a double inside first base and Gonzalez drove his 20th homer into the right field pavilion one out later on the first pitch he saw from Anderson.

Gonzalez, who leads all active players in homers and Runs batted in against the Diamondbacks, is six RBIs away from his seventh 20-homer, 100-RBI season in the majors.

“He’s as consistent a hitter as there is in the game right now,” Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said. “He knows how to hit to every situation there is, and he tailors his at-bats to every situation. He has a plan for every pitcher and every at-bat, and it shows. That’s why he’s such a tremendous run producer.”

HARD HABIT TO BREAK

With the score tied heading into the Dodgers’ eighth, the p.a. system blared the Bon Jovi hit “Living On A Prayer” — while the in-house camera crew showed former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda sitting in the owners’ box next to a pair of nuns who were wearing blue habits.

RUNNING INTO OUTS

Both right fielders turned hit-and-run flyballs into inning-ending double plays in the first frame. Matt Kemp doubled up Ender Inciarte at first base after catching Chris Owings’ drive, and Cody Ross did likewise to Kemp after catching Crawford’s ball.

DEE-FENCE

Gordon, who leads the majors with 58 stolen bases, was thrown out for the 17th time when he tried to run on Gosewisch in the third inning with Gonzalez at bat. Gosewisch is 6 for 16 in that department.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, whose season ended on Aug. 1 because of a broken left hand, batted .259 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 14 games against the Dodgers this season. Last year he hit .388 in 19 games vs. L.A. with six homers and 21 RBIs.

Dodgers: CF Yasiel Puig did not play because of a stomach ailment, according to manager Don Mattingly, and was scheduled to get an IV. Josh Beckett was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man roster for Bernadina, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Albuquerque.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: Trevor Cahill (3-10, 5.06 ERA) is 0-3 in three starts against the Dodgers this season, allowing 17 earned runs in 11 1-3 innings.

Dodgers: Zack Greinke (13-8, 2.72 ERA) is 4-0 with a 1.11 ERA in his last five starts against Arizona. A victory by the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner would give them three pitchers with at least 14 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1977-78, when they had four in both years.

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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