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Martinez gets 1st home win as Rangers beat Astros

By WTOP Staff

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All it took for Texas Rangers rookie right-hander Nick Martinez to end two bizarre pitching droughts was a visit with a Hall of Famer.

Martinez talked pitch sequence last weekend in Anaheim with Greg Maddux, a Rangers special assistant and brother of Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux. In Martinez’s first start since that conversation, he threw 6 2-3 scoreless innings on Tuesday night to beat the Houston Astros 2-1 to get his first home win and first at night.

“Sometimes I go to my out pitch early in the count to create early contact,” said Martinez (5-11). “He was telling me there’s no need to do that. Just focus on getting strike one, strike two. After that, you can focus on getting him out.”

Martinez allowed five hits, no walks and struck out five. He went into the game 0-6 in eight starts at Globe Life Park in Arlington and 0-10 in 14 starts at night.

Both runs scored in the fourth inning, on a 405-foot home run to center field by Robinson Chirinos and an RBI single by David Robertson.

The Rangers have won three straight and 10 of their last 11.

“To go ahead and have a good string of games right here at the end gets their confidence going,” Rangers interim manager Tim Bogar said.

The Astros, already assured of their best finish since 2010, have dropped six of their last eight. Interim manager Tom Lawless said his team might be pressing but shows no quit.

“Twenty-seven outs are in that game,” Lawless said. “We’re going to play 27 outs.”

Martinez has a 2.12 earned run average over his last five starts. He didn’t walk a batter for the first time in his 23 starts this season.

“Early in the season, you could see him let the game speed up on him,” Bogar said “Tonight, he didn’t allow that to happen.”

Adrian Beltre and Jake Smolinski each had three hits for Texas.

Neal Cotts allowed a run in the ninth, earning his second save in nine opportunities. Neftali Feliz, Texas’ regular closer, was rested after throwing 31 pitches the last two days.

HUNT IN OCTOBER: Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said he hopes to name a permanent replacement for manager Ron Washington “inside of October.” Daniels said he hasn’t asked any organizations for permission to interview anyone but has done due diligence on individuals employed by other teams. Washington resigned Sept. 5.

GLOVE LOVE: When Rangers season-ticket holder Mike Jeffus of Flower Mound, Texas, leaned over the railing into foul territory to catch a fly ball hit down the right-field line hit by Houston’s Matt Dominguez in the fourth inning, it was the third time in recent weeks that Jeffus has made such a grab.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Josh Fields (general soreness) and LHP Darin Downs (oblique) remain day to day. Fields last pitched on Sept. 9, Downs on Sept. 19.

Rangers: 2B Jurickson Profar (shoulder) has been shut down for the third time since aggravating a 2010 injury during spring training. General manager Jon Daniels said Profar will undergo physical therapy and rehab work with the hope of being able to throw around early January.

UP NEXT

Astros RHP Scott Feldman (8-11) will start Wednesday night’s series finale. Feldman has recorded sixth consecutive quality starts. Rangers RHP Lisalverto Bonilla (2-0) will try to become the first Rangers pitcher to win his first three career starts since Alexi Ogando in April 2011. Bonilla took a no-hitter into the fifth inning of his most recent start.

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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