Skip to main content

Bourn’s clutch hit gives Indians 5-3 win

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona likes to talk about grind-it-out wins.

Tuesday night’s 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox fit that category perfectly.

Michael Bourn’s two-run double in the seventh inning snapped a 3-all tie and extended Cleveland’s winning streak to a season-high five straight games.

The Indians scored three runs on five straight hits in the first off Jake Peavy, but couldn’t add to the lead and the Red Sox tied the game in the seventh. The deadlock didn’t last long.

“We played a good game,” Francona said. “I thought we had to. We strung together a number of hits (in the first), then you’re kind of hanging on for dear life. When they tied it, we came back.”

Cleveland (29-30) can get back to .500 for the first time since April 24 if it can complete a three-game sweep Wednesday. The Indians have made up six games in the AL Central standings since May 18 and trail first-place Detroit by 4 1-2 games.

Francona always stresses to his players to take things one day at a time.

“That’s the only way you can dig yourself out of a hole,” he said. “It can look so daunting when you look too far in advance, but when you take care of what you’re supposed to do that day, all of a sudden things can mount in a good way.”

The Red Sox have lost two straight after winning seven consecutive games. That streak was preceded by a 10-game losing streak.

Nick Hagadone (1-0) struck out three in 1 1-3 innings. Cody Allen recorded the final four outs for his fifth save, striking out former Indians All-Star Grady Sizemore, pinch-hitting for Jonny Gomes, to end the game.

Allen also retired Sizemore for the final out in Monday’s 3-2 win.

“Obviously, they have some very good hitters,” Allen said. “They’re the defending world champions. That’s a veteran group. They have a lot of wins over there.”

Peavy (1-3) allowed five runs in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander, who hasn’t won since April 25, gave up three runs in the first, but held the Indians scoreless until the seventh.

David Murphy walked to start the inning and Yan Gomes singled. Peavy threw out Murphy at third on Mike Aviles’ sacrifice attempt, leaving runners at first and second. Andrew Miller relieved, but Bourn doubled off the lefty over the head of Gomes in left field to score both runners.

“Bournie had a really good at-bat,” Francona said. “That’s not a fun lefty to face from the left side.”

Bourn, who hit a walk-off homer Sunday against Colorado, is 8 for 19 with five RBIs in Cleveland’s winning streak. The Indians are 20-11 at Progressive Field, the best home record in the AL.

The Indians opened the game with five straight singles. Michael Brantley and Lonnie Chisenhall had RBI hits. The third run scored when Ryan Raburn hit into a double play.

Peavy, who was 0-2 with a 5.89 ERA in six starts last month, retired 14 in a row at one point, a stretch that ended with Chisenhall’s two-out single in the seventh.

“This is a tough one to lose,” Peavy said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever started a game with five straight hits. Tonight was a grind.”

Xander Bogaerts hit a solo homer with one out in the third. Jonathan Herrera’s sixth-inning single cut the lead to 3-2. Bogaerts started the seventh with a double off Scott Atchison and scored when Dustin Pedroia doubled.

Hagadone, called up from Triple-A Columbus on Monday, struck out A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Hassan with two on to end the inning.

Cleveland starter T.J. House allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings.

NOTES: Boston pitcher Brandon Workman appealed a six-game suspension imposed by Major League Baseball on Tuesday for throwing near the head of Tampa Bay star Evan Longoria last week. Workman can play until the appeal process is complete, and is expected to make his scheduled start Wednesday night in the series finale. … Indians 3B/C Carlos Santana (concussion) took batting practice and ran the bases Tuesday. He could be activated Friday. …. Boston C Ryan Lavarnway (fractured left wrist) underwent surgery Tuesday in Cleveland to remove his hamate bone. Manager John Farrell expects a five-to-seven week recovery period before baseball activities take place. … 1B Nick Swisher (sore left knee) could go on a minor-league rehab assignment next week. He has begun to play catch and is scheduled to start hitting in a couple of days. … Browns rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel will throw out the first pitch Wednesday.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote