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Sale masterful as White Sox edge Athletics 1-0

By WTOP Staff

ROBERT QUESENBERY
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — For a guy who says he’s not big into stats, Chris Sale is putting up some really good ones.

Sale bested Scott Kazmir in a brilliant pitchers’ duel, light-hitting Marcus Semien homered for the only run and the Chicago White Sox edged the rapidly fading Oakland Athletics 1-0.

“I’m not a numbers guy, I don’t care about any of that stuff,” Sale said.

Sale (12-3) gave up two hits in eight innings, both singles by Jed Lowrie.

Sale lowered his ERA to an AL-best 1.99, boosting his bid to become the first White Sox pitcher to lead the league in the category since Joe Horlen in 1967. The ace left-hander struck out nine with two walks and retired 17 batters in a row between Lowrie’s hits.

The A’s lost for the 11th time in 14 games. Their lead in the AL wild-card race slipped to one game over Detroit and 1 1/2 games ahead of Seattle.

“We’re playing for our lives now,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.

Sale said he tries to approach each start the same, but acknowledged pitching against a contender provided extra motivation.

“Knowing where they’re going and who they are, you obviously try to (lock in),” he said.

Jake Petricka pitched the ninth, yielding one hit, and got his 13th save in 16 tries.

Kazmir (14-8) called the Athletics’ recent stretch “very frustrating” after he went the distance, giving up four hits, striking out seven and walking one.

Semien hit a leadoff homer in the sixth. He started the day with a .216 batting average and three home runs.

“He threw me the first curveball of the game that I’ve seen from him,” Semien said. “I put a good swing on it.”

Each pitcher had given up only one single to that point.

Semien, who batted ninth and played shortstop, also started a double play in the ninth, which featured a nifty barehanded turn by Carlos Sanchez at second to wipe out a leadoff single by Sam Fuld.

The Athletics posed their only threat in the eighth. Lowrie’s single and Alberto Callaspo’s two-out walk put a runner in scoring position, but Coco Crisp bounced out to end the inning.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Sean Doolittle is expected to return from the disabled list Friday. The closer has been sidelined since Aug. 24 because of a strained intercostal muscle. … OF Craig Gentry was held out of the series finale one day after he suffered a concussion on a play at first base. He’s likely to sit out the series in Seattle this weekend. … C Stephen Vogt won’t be available until next week at the earliest with a left ankle sprain.

White Sox: 1B Paul Konerko will test his fractured left hand with some dry swings on Friday then plans to hit short tosses and off a tee Saturday. The veteran could return to action on the next road trip. “I’m going to be back,” said Konerko, who will retire after the season. “There’s no doubt.”

UP NEXT

Athletics: RHP Jason Hammel (2-5, 4.70) opens a key three-game series at Seattle on Friday night. The Mariners will start LHP James Paxton (5-2, 1.87).

White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana (7-10, 3.38) will oppose Twins RHP Phil Hughes (5-9, 3.55) in the opener of a three-game set in Minnesota on Friday night.

9/11 REMEMBERED

On the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, manager Robin Ventura recalled the role that baseball had in the healing process. “As a player, you didn’t realize how important it was to actually get back and play, not necessarily for yourself but for everybody else,” said Ventura, who played for the New York Mets at the time. “You went through a period of time where you didn’t know if it was OK to smile or laugh or do anything like that. To be able to go back and play and (have) people come to the game, that was their outlet. It was important.”

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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