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Nathan struggles again, Tigers lose 5-3 to Jays

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Joe Nathan’s latest poor performance came at home, so the Detroit fans booed the closer who was brought in this season to put a stop to these late-inning meltdowns.

“They can boo me all they want. I’m my own worst critic,” Nathan said.

In a game that was scoreless until the ninth inning, Nathan allowed four runs during a big burst by the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Tigers ended up losing 5-3 on Tuesday night. Nathan has now allowed eight runs in his last three appearances, the first two of which came on a recent road trip.

“I’m at a loss for words. I thought I threw pretty well,” Nathan said. “I’ve got to be better. A lot of bad luck out there, too. But the biggest thing is another loss for the team.”

After eight innings of crisp, scoreless baseball between the AL East and AL Central leaders, both bullpens came unglued in the ninth. The Blue Jays took the lead against Nathan (2-2), and they kept scoring after he was pulled from the game. Brett Lawrie hit a three-run homer off Al Alburquerque to make it 5-0.

J.D. Martinez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth for the Tigers. Casey Janssen came on and struck out Don Kelly for his ninth save in 10 chances.

Detroit’s Anibal Sanchez and Toronto’s Drew Hutchison each pitched seven impressive innings.

Dustin McGowan (3-2) worked the eighth for the win.

Detroit’s bullpen struggled at times last year too, so the Tigers signed Nathan as a free agent in the offseason. His ERA is now an unsightly 6.86.

“If he’s struggling mentally there’s certainly something we can do to help him,” Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. “Joe’s been very good for a very long time, I expect him to be very good for the Tigers and he expects himself to be very good, but even the best have rough times.”

The 39-year-old right-hander walked Anthony Gose to start the ninth — Toronto’s first baserunner since the fourth inning. Gose stole second and went to third on a single by Jose Reyes. After a popup by Melky Cabrera gave the Tigers hope of escaping the jam, Jose Bautista put the Blue Jays ahead with an RBI single up the middle.

Bautista’s grounder slipped between shortstop Andrew Romine and second baseman Ian Kinsler. Romine appeared to shy away at the last second, as if Kinsler’s presence distracted him.

Nathan nearly picked Reyes off third, but the safe call was upheld after a replay review. After Edwin Encarnacion walked to load the bases, pinch-hitter Kevin Pillar hit a sacrifice fly off Ian Krol for the game’s second run.

Lawrie then went deep off Alburquerque for his ninth homer of the year.

Martinez homered off Steve Delabar to make it 5-3, but all that did was enable the Tigers to avoid a second straight shutout. Detroit has lost three straight.

Hutchison allowed three hits and struck out seven, while Sanchez allowed two hits with five strikeouts. Neither starter walked a batter.

“I didn’t really get going and get into a good rhythm until probably about the fourth or the fifth,” Hutchison said. “Obviously, I believe I’m a good pitcher, and I’m capable of doing that every night, and that’s what I expect out of myself.”

NOTES: Detroit’s Austin Jackson was given an error on a flyball by Texas’ Mitch Moreland from a May 24 game after an official scoring change. The play was originally ruled a double. … Home plate umpire Tony Randazzo was hit near the throat in the fifth when Hutchison bounced a pitch. Randazzo was shaken up but able to continue. … Detroit RHP Rick Porcello (8-2) takes the mound Wednesday night against Toronto RHP R.A. Dickey (5-4).

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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