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Sale, White Sox shut down fading Athletics 1-0

By WTOP Staff

PAUL LADEWSKI
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Their chances of winning the AL West have pretty much slipped away. Now, the Oakland Athletics need to score some runs before they lose a playoff spot altogether.

The A’s continued their free-fall Thursday, when Chris Sale bested Scott Kazmir in a brilliant pitchers’ duel, light-hitting Marcus Semien homered for the only run and the Chicago White Sox won 1-0.

The A’s lost for the 11th time in 14 games. Their lead in the AL wild-card race dwindled to one game over Detroit and 1 1-2 over Seattle, both of which were idle.

“We’re playing for our lives now,” manager Bob Melvin conceded. “I mean, that’s just the way it is. We put ourselves in this position.”

Once leading the division, the A’s began the day nine games behind the Los Angeles Angels. Oakland starts a three-game showdown in Seattle on Friday night.

Facing Sale, Oakland posed its only threat in the eighth, when Jed Lowrie singled and Alberto Callaspo drew a two-out walk. Coco Crisp bounced out to end the inning.

Sale (12-3) gave up two hits in eight innings, both of them singles to Lowrie. Between the hits, the All-Star left-hander retired 17 batters in order. He struck out nine and walked two.

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

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.

“Right up there,” Lowrie said when asked where Sale ranked among starting pitchers. “Off-hand, I can’t give you a number, but he’s one of the better ones in the game.”

Yet the Athletics have had to tip their caps too many times since the All-Star break. They’ve scored more than three runs only 15 times in the 39 games since slugger Yoenis Cespedes was traded to Boston on July 31.

Melvin suggested his team might need to get back to its loose ways again.

“We’ve been two different teams — the one that played through July and the one that’s at this point right now,” he said.

“We’re trying as a staff to stay positive. At times, I get upset. At times, you have to be supportive. Today they were trying. They were trying as hard as they could. Sometimes maybe you have to try a little easier,” he said.

Semien hit a leadoff homer in the sixth into the left-field bleachers. He started the day with a .216 batting average and three home runs. Each pitcher had given up only one single and one walk to that point.

“(The pitch) seemed to have good depth, but it stayed higher in the zone than I wanted,” Kazmir said. “It turned out to be the deciding factor. It’s tough.”

Kazmir (14-8) went the distance, giving up four hits, striking out seven and walking one. The left-hander entered the game with a 3-5 record and 5.89 ERA in 11 career starts against the White Sox.

“It’s a tough run that we’re facing right now,” Kazmir said. “The only way to get out of it is to stay positive and keep battling.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Sean Doolittle is expected to return from the disabled list on 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 as well. … C Stephen Vogt continues to be slowed by what Melvin calls “a pretty significant (left ankle) sprain” and won’t be available until next week at the earliest.

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 the next day. 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 the 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

The anniversary of the Sept. 11 tragedy brought back vivid memories for Melvin, who was an Arizona bench coach at the time. “We were in (New York on an off-day) shortly thereafter and went to Ground Zero and spoke to the first responders and saw firsthand what was going on,” he said. “It’s a day that I’ll never forget. … The thing that stood out to me most was the heroes who were part of cleaning it up and getting past it, the people of New York being so resilient.”

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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