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Tolleson pitches for Blue Jays in loss to Indians

By WTOP Staff

IAN HARRISON
Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — On a night most Toronto Blue Jays will want to forget, Steve Tolleson had a moment to remember.

David Murphy had five hits and five RBIs, Lonnie Chisenhall had five hits and an RBI and the Cleveland Indians hammered Toronto 15-4 on Wednesday night.

Corey Kluber pitched seven innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season, and Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes homered as the Indians set season-highs with 22 hits and 15 runs in winning for the sixth time in eight games.

With the Blue Jays pitching staff taking a beating, Tolleson came on to record the final out in the ninth inning, becoming the seventh position player in team history to take the mound.

“I wish the circumstances hadn’t even been that way to get that chance but anytime you have a chance to go out and try to get an out in a major league game, that’s a pretty special opportunity,” Tolleson said.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons turned to Tolleson after Gomes drilled a three-run homer off Neil Wagner. Tolleson faced two batters, giving up a double to Chisenhall before Mike Aviles popped out.

Tolleson, who has pitched twice before, took home a souvenir from his brief outing.

“(Mark) Buerhle made sure I got the ball,” Tolleson said. “(Jose) Reyes threw it in the stands but we retrieved it. It’s one of those unique opportunities that I’ll be thankful for when I’m old and gray one day.”

Kluber (4-3) allowed two runs and four hits, walked one and struck out nine. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA in his past five starts, with 47 strikeouts over 34 1-3 innings.

“I’m more and more impressed with him each time he goes out there,” Murphy said. “He’s got the stuff to be an ace.”

It was the first time two Indians had five hits in a nine-inning game since Johnny Hodapp and Luke Sewell had five each against the Yankees on July 29, 1928.

The last time it happened in the majors was last Sept. 6 when Andy Dirks and Omar Infante had five hits each for Detroit against Kansas City.

Kluber retired the first 13 batters in order before giving up his first hit, a double by Adam Lind. One out later, Lind scored on Brett Lawrie’s double.

Bryan Shaw worked the eighth and Carlos Carrasco finished for the Indians.

Dustin McGowan (2-2) allowed four runs and nine hits in four-plus innings. He walked two and struck out three.

“All my pitches were fine tonight,” McGowan said. “I just got hit hard.”

McGowan is winless with an ERA of 9.19 in four home starts this season, but 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four road starts. He dropped to 0-3 with a 10.61 ERA in five career games against the Indians.

Toronto cut it to 4-2 on Jose Bautista’s RBI double in the sixth, but Edwin Encarnacion fouled out and Lind flied out to the wall in left.

Cleveland capped it with a six-run, 10-batter ninth. Michael Bourn hit an RBI triple and scored on a base hit by Jose Ramirez. Murphy hit a two-run double and Gomes ended a 12-pitch at bat by homering.

Brantley left in the fifth with a sore back. He was replaced by Nyjer Morgan, who lasted just half an inning before spraining his right knee. Ramirez replaced Morgan, going in at second base as Aviles moved to left.

Francona said he wasn’t sure whether Brantley or Morgan would be available Thursday. Morgan was wearing a brace to immobilize his leg after the game.

“We need to see how he shows up in the morning,” Francona said of Morgan.

NOTES: The Blue Jays placed C Dioner Navarro on the family medical emergency list and optioned RHP Chad Jenkins to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto recalled C Erik Kratz and Wagner from Triple-A. … Indians RHP Danny Salazar (1-3) faces LHP J.A. Happ (1-1) in Thursday’s series finale.

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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