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Chirinos helps Rangers past Braves 2-1

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Robinson Chirinos is back. So is Derek Holland. The catcher and pitcher led Texas to the win on Friday night.

Chirinos hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, sending the Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

“(Teammates) were putting (together) good at-bats,” Chirinos said. “So I was just trying to get a good pitch and trying to do my job and hit a line drive somewhere. It was good to be back in the game.”

Chirinos was playing for the first time after missing 10 games because of a stiff neck.

“It was nice to see his energy back there,” interim manager Tim Bogar said. “He handled Derek well.”

Holland, who missed five months following offseason knee surgery, allowed one run and eight hits in seven innings in his third start of the year. The left-hander struck out six and walked none.

Holland has not allowed a walk since he returned. The only other Rangers pitcher with no walks in three consecutive starts of seven innings or more was Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins in 1979.

“A walk is a free base,” Holland said. “I’m not giving my teammates a chance to make plays when I do that. It would be nice to keep up this no walks going, but I can’t get caught up in it.”

Adrian Beltre and Ryan Rua had two hits apiece as Texas won for only the second time in 13 games. The Rangers improved to 2-5 under Bogar.

The Braves have lost four of five to drop three games behind Pittsburgh for the National League’s second wild card.

Texas’ winning rally started with two out in the eighth. Beltre and Rua hit consecutive singles against David Carpenter (6-4) before Chirinos lined a single to center to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.

Rookie Phil Klein (1-2) recorded two outs for his first major league win and Neftali Feliz pitched a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save in 10 opportunities.

Atlanta had a runner on third with one out in the eighth when Klein struck out Justin Upton. After an intentional walk to Ryan Doumit, Klein struck out Chris Johnson to end the inning.

The game ended when Atlanta’s Andrelton Simmons flied out to right fielder Michael Choice on the warning track.

Atlanta’s Alex Wood allowed only one run and four hits in seven innings.

Singles by B.J. Upton and Simmons and Jason Heyward’s ground ball produced the Braves’ run in the third inning. Holland retired Justin Upton and Doumit with the bases loaded.

Texas tied it in the sixth on J.P. Arencibia’s double, Beltre’s single and Rua’s groundout.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: C Evan Gattis (strep throat) missed his fourth straight game.

Rangers: RHP Scott Baker (triceps tendinitis) was scratched from Saturday’s scheduled start. … OF Jake Smolinski (fractured left foot) could come off the disabled list to join Texas on Tuesday at Oakland. … OF Jim Adduci (concussion) is undergoing tests to determine if he could return from the DL.

UP NEXT

Braves RHP Julio Teheran (13-11, 3.00 ERA) faces RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (0-0, 7.36 ERA) on Saturday afternoon. Teheran will be trying to end a personal two-game losing streak. Bonilla is making his first major league start in Baker’s place.

STREAKING

On his 25th birthday, Braves 1B Freddie Freeman’s third-inning single stretched his on-base streak to 28 games. Beltre’s streak went to 27 after his sixth-inning single.

CHILLIN’

The game-time temperature was an unseasonable (for Texas) 65 degrees. It dropped into the 50s, at times accompanied by a misty rain. The average low for Sept. 12 in Arlington is 68.

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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