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Braves lose again behind sputtering offense

By WTOP Staff

GEORGE HENRY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Shortstop Andrelton Simmons and the Atlanta Braves are running out of time and patience.

“You’ve got to take it one at-bat at a time, one play at a time and hope for the best,” Simmons said after getting three of the Braves’ five hits in a 5-0 loss to the New York Mets on Friday night.

“But it’s really frustrating right now,” he added.

With their offensive woes showing no signs of a turnaround, the Braves were beaten by Zack Wheeler and the Mets.

Atlanta dropped seven games behind Pittsburgh, a 4-2 winner over Milwaukee earlier Friday, in the NL wild-card race. Any combination of three Pirates wins or Braves losses will eliminate the Atlanta from playoff contention.

The Braves dropped to 8-50 when scoring two runs or fewer.

Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer, and Wheeler pitched six scoreless innings for the Mets. Pittsburgh’s victory eliminated New York from postseason contention.

The Braves, losers of six of seven, dropped to 4-12 this month. They won the NL East last year, but were eliminated from the division race on Tuesday when Washington celebrated at Turner Field.

“You’ve got to keep playing and keep hanging on,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “(The players) know, and I don’t think you need to remind anybody what’s at stake and what we could accomplish if we start winning games and start swinging the bats.”

Wheeler (11-10) allowed five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. The Georgia native improved to 6-1 with a 1.92 ERA in 13 road starts, dating to May 29.

Wheeler worked out of a jam in the fifth inning. He gave up a two-out double to Andrelton Simmons and walked Freddie Freeman before striking out Justin Upton with a pitch in the dirt.

“I got in a lot of deep counts but I did make the pitches when I had to,” Wheeler said. “I had to really bear down and really go after them. That’s a tough lineup right there.”

Daniel Murphy went 4 for 5 and scored on Duda’s homer in the sixth. Murphy was hitting just .188 in 32 at-bats since returning from the disabled list on Sept. 9.

Julio Teheran (13-13) pitched out of trouble in the fifth when Dilson Herrera popped up with runners on first and third, and Wheeler struck out.

After Murphy’s ground-rule double in the sixth, Duda hit a low breaking ball into the right-field seats for his 28th homer, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead.

Duda had struck out in his previous two at-bats.

Teheran gave up seven hits, two runs and struck out six in seven innings. He dropped to 0-4 with a 2.67 ERA in September.

“I made just one mistake that cost me two runs and cost us the game,” Teheran said. “That’s part of the luck that I have. You try not to let it affect you, but it’s kind of difficult for us right now.”

Carlos Torres pitched the seventh, Jeurys Familia worked the eighth, and Buddy Carlyle finished in the ninth for New York.

In the ninth, Herrera drew a bases-loaded walk from Jordan Walden to make it 3-0, and Eric Young Jr. added a two-run single off Luis Avilan for a 5-0 lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Manager Terry Collins said CF Juan Lagares, sidelined by a hyperextended right elbow since Wednesday, will be reevaluated early next week and might be able to return for the season-ending series against Houston next weekend. OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis didn’t play because of a kidney stone.

Braves: RF Jason Heyward wore a brace on his bruised left thumb and didn’t play. Heyward, who was hit by a pitch on Wednesday, has received treatment for two days. X-rays taken on his hand were negative. … Catcher Evan Gattis missed his 10th straight game as he recovers from strep throat and a kidney stone.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Jonathon Niese (8-11) starts Saturday for the Mets. He is 2-2 with a 5.68 ERA in five career starts at Turner Field.

Braves: LHP Mike Minor (6-11) is 5-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 career starts against New York.

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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