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Young strong in Mariners’ 3-1 win over Royals

By WTOP Staff

SEATTLE (AP) — Yordano Ventura made mistakes and the Seattle Mariners capitalized on them.

Chris Young wasn’t so kind.

The Kansas City Royals became the latest team to get a firsthand look at just how well a resurgent Young can pitch, managing just three hits against Seattle’s starter over eight innings in a 3-1 loss to the Mariners on Saturday night.

“He is one of the more deceptive guys I’ve faced,” Kansas City designated hitter Billy Butler said. “He is really tall, got downward angle — really good with the elevated fastball.”

Young (3-0) was efficient with his 96 pitches, striking out three and walking none. A day after lashing out 16 singles, the Royals’ lineup was set down in order in five of Young’s nine innings.

Young missed most of 2013 after having surgery done to address a nerve ailment that affects his shoulder.

It is the first time Young has thrown at least eight innings since he tossed a complete game for the San Diego Padres in 2008. Young didn’t play last season and pitched sparingly from 2009-12.

“I’ve said all along, he’s a veteran guy that knows what he’s doing, what he wants to do,” Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. “When he’s capable of executing his pitches, he’s pretty tough.”

The four hits — Kansas City picked up a single in the ninth — tied a season-low for the Royals, who have struggled to find power during their time in Seattle. Of its 23 hits in three games thus far in the series, Kansas City has just one extra-base hit.

The Royals took an early lead, thanks to a fielding gaffe by Seattle’s Michael Saunders. The right fielder fell awkwardly as he attempted to field a ball hit by Mike Moustakas down the line in the third inning. The ball went to the wall and Moustakas pulled into third with a triple.

The Royals took advantage of the opportunity as Alcides Escobar followed with a sacrifice fly to left to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead.

Saunders had to leave the game after the inning and was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee. He is considered day to day.

Yordano Ventura (2-2) was not able to hold the lead thanks in large part to the long ball.

Justin Smoak gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead in the fourth, hitting a no-doubter into the seats in right field for a two-run home run. Dustin Ackley added a solo shot to right in the sixth inning.

Ventura allowed three runs in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander issued a season-high four walks, while notching a season-low three strikeouts.

“You know, he threw the ball really well,” Royals skipper Ned Yost said. “The pitch to Smoak wasn’t a bad pitch, it was down and in that he got the head out on. The pitch to Ackley was a changeup that he drove into the seats. But outside of that, it was OK.”

Fernando Rodney pitched around a two-out single in the ninth inning to record his 11th save in 12 attempts.

Royals manager Ned Yost challenged a ruling that Robinson Cano was safe at second in the seventh trying to advance on a wild pitch. The call was reversed after a delay of 2 minutes, 27 seconds.

NOTES: Sunday’s series finale will pit Seattle LHP Roenis Elias against Kansas City RHP Jeremy Guthrie. … Mariners rookie James Jones hit in the leadoff spot for the first time in his career. Manager Lloyd McClendon said Jones, who hit .306 in the minors from the top spot in the lineup, is a “prototypical leadoff guy.” … Home plate umpire Scott Barry left Saturday’s game following the third inning after appearing to take a pitch off his right hand. Crew chief Jeff Nelson took over behind the plate and the game finished with three umpires. X-Rays on the hand were negative and Barry is expected to umpire at second base Sunday.

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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