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Deduno struggles as Twins lose 12-9 to Tigers

By WTOP Staff

DETROIT (AP) — The Minnesota Twins had a chance. They scored three runs in the seventh and three in the eighth before Brian Dozier belted a two-run homer in the ninth to trim Detroit’s lead to three.

That’s when the Tigers’ beleaguered bullpen finally closed the door.

Ian Krol struck out Eric Fryer to secure his first major league save, sending Minnesota to a 12-9 loss Saturday after the Twins got off to a slow start.

“We kept swinging, and they didn’t pitch very well after the starter came out, so we had chances,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We got back into it, and the guys were up and yelling in the dugout.”

Danny Santana had three RBIs and Fryer finished with three hits for Minnesota, which had won three in a row. But the Twins were unable to overcome another shaky start for Samuel Deduno.

Rookie Eugenio Suarez hit a leadoff homer and a run-scoring double in Detroit’s seven-run third inning, and Victor Martinez connected for a two-run homer. Suarez, Martinez, Nick Castellanos and Ian Kinsler had three hits apiece for the Tigers.

Detroit came into the game having lost 17 of 24 after a fast start to the season, but it was helped by another strong pitching performance. Anibal Sanchez (3-2) was charged with three runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Sanchez was in complete control before he walked the leadoff hitter in the seventh and allowed a one-out RBI triple to Eduardo Nunez.

“He’s just so tough on us,” Gardenhire said. “He knows how to pitch, and he made it hard on us.”

Deduno (2-5) lasted just 2 2-3 innings, dropping to 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA in his last four starts. The right-hander allowed seven runs and seven hits, struck out three and walked two.

“Nothing was good today,” he said. “I didn’t make good pitches, and I didn’t get much luck. I just couldn’t stop their offense.”

Suarez started the third with a drive to left for his third homer in eight games since he was promoted from Triple-A Toledo on June 4. The shortstop, who turns 23 next month, finished with three hits and is batting .400 (8 for 20) with four walks and six RBIs.

Suarez’s homer came moments after former Tigers star Magglio Ordonez was shown on the videoboard, receiving a huge ovation. Suarez grew up idolizing Ordonez in Venezuela and wears No. 30 in his honor.

Suarez drove in Castellanos with a double later in the inning, and Torii Hunter also had an RBI double. Martinez’s drive off the top of the right-field wall was originally ruled a double, but quickly became a two-run homer after a replay review.

Kinsler drove in the seventh run of the inning with an infield single, and third baseman Trevor Plouffe strained his left oblique diving for the ball. Plouffe stayed in the game for another batter, but had to leave after aggravating the injury while throwing out Hunter to end the inning.

Gardenhire said Plouffe probably will go on the disabled list Sunday, and he is also concerned about Nunez, who injured a hamstring late in the game.

Suarez added a triple in the seventh and had a chance for a cycle in the eighth, but bounced into a forceout. Only one player — Cliff Heathcote of the 1918 St. Louis Cardinals — recorded a cycle in the first eight games of his career.

“I didn’t know I was ready to have a game like that,” Suarez said. “It was great to have the chance at the cycle, even if I didn’t get it, but it was more special because Magglio was here. I didn’t even know he was until I after hit my homer, but that made it more exciting.”

Krol retired Joe Mauer with the bases loaded for the final out of the eighth. He allowed Dozier’s homer in the ninth before finally finishing a game that had lasted almost four hours.

“I’ve never been part of anything like that,” said Krol, whose only other professional save came in Double-A. “It was cool to get a save, but at the same time, that really wasn’t cool.”

Detroit manager Brad Ausmus was disappointed in the last part of the game for the Tigers.

“We’ve got to be able to finish off games better than that,” Ausmus said. “We had to get our top two guys up, and we used almost everyone else. That can’t happen.”

NOTES: With the homer and double in the third, Suarez became the first Tigers player with two extra-base hits in an inning since Ordonez on August 12, 2007. … The teams finish the three-game series Sunday afternoon with Detroit’s Rick Porcello facing Minnesota’s Ricky Nolasco.

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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