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Rangers rout Tigers 9-2

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

DETROIT (AP) — On a day full of bad news on the injury front, at least the Texas Rangers could enjoy a victory.

Shin-Soo Choo homered, Chris Gimenez had four hits and the Rangers rolled to a 9-2 victory over the slumping Detroit Tigers on Thursday.

This was supposed to be Prince Fielder’s first game back in Detroit after the Tigers traded him in the offseason, but the big first baseman didn’t make the trip because of a herniated disk in his neck that could keep him out the rest of the season.

Fielder is expected to have surgery Tuesday. General manager Jon Daniels announced that after the game.

Manager Ron Washington had already finished talking to reporters by then.

“You just want to go out there and give yourself a chance, hope your pitching staff gives you a chance,” Washington said. “We understand not every day we’re going to be able to put nine runs up, especially against this team.”

Yu Darvish (4-2) allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking three.

The Rangers broke through quickly against Detroit rookie Robbie Ray (1-1), who lasted only 3 1-3 innings. Ray allowed seven runs, nine hits and four walks, and the AL Central-leading Tigers lost their fourth straight.

Ian Kinsler, who was traded to Detroit for Fielder in an offseason blockbuster, went 1 for 3 in his first game against the Rangers.

The Tigers breezed to a 27-12 start before being swept in a three-game series at Cleveland.

Star right-handers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer were both knocked around in that series, and a 13-inning finale against the Indians taxed the bullpen.

Ray’s start Thursday made the situation even worse, and infielder Danny Worth ended up pitching the ninth inning for Detroit.

Worth, throwing a knuckleball, actually struck out two in a scoreless frame.

“That was a lot of fun,” Worth said. “Obviously, you don’t ever want to be needed in that spot, but once I got out there, I enjoyed it.”

Alex Rios opened the scoring with an RBI double off Ray in the second, and Gimenez drove him home with a single. Adrian Beltre added a two-run double the following inning and later scored to make it 5-0.

In half of Darvish’s first eight starts, the Rangers failed to provide a single run of support. That wasn’t a problem Thursday. Choo’s two-run homer in the fourth chased Ray, and Michael Choice’s two-run single later that inning gave the Rangers a nine-run lead.

Gimenez had never even had a three-hit game before Thursday. Not only did he contribute offensively, but he also had little trouble behind the plate. It was his first time catching Darvish and his tricky array of pitches.

“He let me do whatever I wanted to do,” Darvish said through a translator. “So I felt really good.”

Texas has won back-to-back games for only the second time this month, but the Rangers’ injury woes remain a major concern. It looks like they will be without Fielder for a while, and in the third inning, center fielder Daniel Robertson hurt himself in an outfield collision. Robertson came diving in headfirst to try to make a catch, at the same time Rios came sliding in from right.

Replays showed a wad of gum popping out of Robertson’s mouth when the two players collided.

X-ray and concussion tests were negative.

“It’s a hard play, it’s a hustle play,” Robertson said. “If we were to do it 10 times again, I’d make the same play.”

The Tigers lead second-place Minnesota by 4½ games in the division, but they’ve allowed 31 runs in their past four games, an uncharacteristic spell for what might be baseball’s best starting rotation.

Detroit’s starters have allowed 19 earned runs over a three-game span, the first time that’s happened since May 24-27, 2011, according to STATS. The last time a position player pitched for the Tigers was also in 2011, when Don Kelly did it.

NOTES: Detroit’s extra-inning loss to Cleveland on Wednesday took 5 hours, 16 minutes. Thursday’s game looked as if it might stretch past 4 hours for a while, but it sped up toward the end and was over in 3:30. … Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-2) takes the mound against Texas RHP Scott Baker (0-0) on Friday night.

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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