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Jimenez, Orioles fall to Blue Jays 4-0

By WTOP Staff

DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) — One of these days, Ubaldo Jimenez hopes to measure success by notches in the win column.

At this point in his horrid season, however, the Orioles right-hander will have to settle for gradual improvement.

Although Jimenez allowed only two runs in six innings, he was outpitched by Toronto’s Drew Hutchison in Baltimore’s 4-0 loss Friday night.

Jimenez (2-8) is 0-4 in six starts since May 8 and still hasn’t won a game at home. But he derived a measure of satisfaction from keeping the Orioles in the game until he walked off the mound for the last time.

“I was able to hang in for the team,” Jimenez said. “I was able to at least get a quality start.”

Jimenez, who signed a $50 million, four-year contract during the offseason, walked five. But after Juan Francisco homered to put Toronto up 2-0 in the second inning, Jimenez did not give up another hit until Adam Lind singled off the right field wall with two outs in the sixth.

His outing was a definite upgrade from his last start, when he yielded six runs in 2 1-3 innings against Oakland.

“I had a rough game before this one, so this is a good sign to be able to be there for the team,” Jimenez said.

Hutchison allowed five hits over seven innings, struck out three, walked none and permitted only one runner past second base. The right-hander is 1-3 with an 8.72 ERA at home and 4-1 with a 1.79 ERA on the road.

“It’s just worked out that way so far. It’s kind of one of those things,” Hutchison said of his imbalanced record. “I haven’t had many starts at home, so that might be part of it. But the rest of that, I could really care less as long as we’re going out there and giving the team a chance to win.”

Especially against the Orioles. Hutchison is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five career starts against Baltimore.

“He’s pretty good against some other people,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter noted.

After Hutchison retired three straight batters in the seventh following a leadoff double by J.J. Hardy, a thunderstorm stopped play for 21 minutes.

When play resumed, Toronto scored twice in the eighth off Tommy Hunter on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Jose Bautista.

Blue Jays reliever Brett Cecil left with a groin injury in the eighth inning. He was replaced by Dustin McGowan, who got five outs for his first major league save.

The victory snapped a three-game skid for the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who had lost five of six while being outscored 29-9.

“I felt like it was the toughest game to win all year, if you want to know the truth,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “We didn’t get many hits. We got the big home run, and of course we scratched out a couple late.”

Manny Machado had three hits for Baltimore, but the Orioles stranded nine and went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

The Blue Jays put runners on the corners with no outs in the first inning before Jimenez worked out of trouble. In the second, however, Francisco delivered Toronto’s major league leading 92nd home run after Brett Lawrie drew a walk.

That ended the Jays’ run of four straight games without a homer and snapped Baltimore’s streak of 43 innings without allowing a long ball. It also marked the first time in nine games that Toronto scored first.

After Baltimore loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, Jonathan Schoop hit a fly to the warning track in center field.

Beginning with that out, Hutchison retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced.

NOTES: Orioles C Matt Wieters will have his ailing elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews on Monday, and season-ending surgery is a distinct possibility. “I hope we get some good news Monday, but we better prepare if it’s not,” Showalter said. Wieters has not played since May 10. … Bud Norris (3-1, 2.38 ERA at home) starts for the Orioles on Saturday against Toronto and right-hander R.A. Dickey. … Showalter said Machado’s suspension will not start this weekend, and it will likely go to the appeal process. Machado is challenging a five-game suspension for intentionally throwing his bat on the field.

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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