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Giants lose 4-2 but reach brink of playoff berth

By WTOP Staff

BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The San Francisco Giants are on the verge of reaching the postseason.

They can do so with a win over the rival Dodgers in the series finale Wednesday night or a Milwaukee loss at Cincinnati.

But the Giants will have to get by Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw, who is 2-0 against them in three starts this season. They’ll send Tim Hudson, bothered by a hip injury, to the mound.

San Francisco came up short in a 4-2 loss Tuesday night that got testy in the first inning after Madison Bumgarner hit Dodgers star Yasiel Puig in the foot with a pitch.

Bumgarner’s two-run homer later tied the game 2-all, but he got little offensive support from his teammates.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t find a way to get another run or two for him,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “But we faced a good pitcher that was throwing the ball well. We didn’t have a lot of chances.”

Zack Greinke (16-8) extended his mastery of the Giants, improving to 5-0 against them this season. He is unbeaten in seven career starts against San Francisco.

The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, striking out five and walking none. He retired 17 of his final 19 batters.

“He’s been lights-out against us every time,” Bumgarner said. “He makes pitches and he’s got really good stuff. That’s why he’s one of best pitchers in the game.”

Justin Turner homered twice and Matt Kemp had a two-run shot in the first inning to help the Dodgers stretch their division lead to 4 1/2 games. They can clinch their second straight NL West title with a win Wednesday night.

The Giants lost for the seventh time in 10 games.

Bumgarner (18-10) had been dominant at Dodger Stadium with a 7-2 career mark coming in, but he was stymied in pursuit of his fourth straight win there. He gave up four runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings, striking out five and walking none.

“They were terrible, all of them,” Bumgarner said about his three home run pitches. “They were missed location. I wasn’t fortunate enough to get away with anything, at least not those, anyway.”

Turner homered into the left-field pavilion in the eighth for the second time in the game, chasing Bumgarner.

After the tension subsided in the first, Puig took first base and Kemp celebrated his 30th birthday by hitting his 24th homer, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0. Turner got things started with his first career leadoff shot in the first.

Bumgarner pulled the Giants to 3-2 with his own two-run homer in the third. The pitcher pumped his right arm and yelled as he rounded first base.

After getting hit, Puig quickly tailed plate umpire Adrian Johnson toward the mound, yelling at Bumgarner. The pitcher chucked his glove behind him and gestured with both hands as if to say, “Bring it on.”

Johnson pushed Puig away, and Kemp got in front of Puig before Dodgers manager Don Mattingly restrained his emotional star.

Puig also was plunked by Jake Peavy in the first inning on Monday night, when the Giants won 5-2 in 13 innings.

BUMGARNER’S POWER

Bumgarner’s four homers this season are the most by a Giants pitcher since Hal Schumacher hit six in 1934, and his 15 RBIs tied the club record for a pitcher set by Juan Marichal in 1966.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: OF Angel Pagan (inflamed nerve in lower back) will have season-ending surgery to repair a bulging disk in his back Thursday in Los Angeles. “This is a bad-luck situation because if the bulge moves a little bit more to the other side then I’ll be playing, no problem,” he said. … OF Michael Morse has shown some improvement with a strained oblique and might be ready for the upcoming San Diego series.

Dodgers: LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (shoulder inflammation) is playing catch while slowly increasing distance and velocity. Mattingly said he’d be surprised if Ryu returns before the playoffs.

UP NEXT

Giants: Hudson (9-12, 3.52 ERA) has lost his last four outings and has just one win in his last 11 starts as part of the first losing season in his 18-year pro career.

Dodgers: Kershaw (20-3, 1.80) is tied for the major league lead in victories and his ERA is the lowest in the majors. The left-hander is 9-2 in 13 home starts with a 1.75 ERA. He owns four shutouts against the Giants.

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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