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Red Sox fall late again to Indians, 3-2

By WTOP Staff

BOSTON (AP) — Another close game and another late-inning loss for the Boston Red Sox and their listless offense.

Nick Swisher led off the 11th inning with a homer and the Cleveland Indians beat the Red Sox 3-2 on Sunday to gain a split of the four-game series.

For the second straight day, Boston gave up a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning. Cleveland tied it there and won it after the Red Sox failed when they loaded the bases in the ninth.

“We had opportunities. The ninth inning, in particular,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “We walked the bases loaded in the ninth and were a base hit away, or a swing away from ending it right there.

“It’s been elusive. I can’t say that we change our approach. One through nine, it’s not that we’re going about it differently, but it’s been elusive.”

Swisher homered against Junichi Tazawa (1-1), who took the loss one day after walking in the winning run in Cleveland’s 3-2 victory.

“A 2-1 fastball that he left on the inside part of the plate to Swisher,” Farrell said. “He obviously has that capability, but we’re challenging him given his four previous at-bats on the day and maybe some of the inconsistencies he’s had during the season — and got beat on it.”

On Saturday, Boston allowed two unearned runs in the seventh.

It was Swisher’s fourth homer of the season and first since being activated from the disabled list on Thursday before the series opener.

The Red Sox wasted their excellent opportunity in the ninth when they loaded the bases on three walks by John Axford. But Brock Holt ended the threat with a groundout to second against reliever Scott Atchison.

“All we can do is keep going out there and keep getting guys on base and working, that’s all you can do,” Red Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. “You can’t control it once you have hit the ball. I think guys are putting good at-bats on pitchers.”

Cody Allen (3-1) ended the game with two perfect innings, striking out three.

Swisher had been 1 for 8 in two of the first three games of the series after recovering from a hyperextended right knee and was 0 for 4 Sunday before his homer to right field.

The win was the Indians’ second straight after four consecutive losses.

Michael Brantley gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the first with his 11th homer. But in the next five innings, Brandon Workman allowed just three hits, a walk and a hit batsman.

Boston tied the game in the first on a single by leadoff hitter Holt, a wild pitch and an RBI single by David Ortiz.

The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead in the fifth against Corey Kluber after a walk to Jackie Bradley Jr. and a single by Holt put runners at first and third with one out.

Dustin Pedroia then grounded to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who threw to second baseman Jason Kipnis for the forceout. But Pedroia hustled to beat the throw to first, avoiding a double play and allowing Bradley to score.

Just as they did in Saturday night’s loss, the Red Sox took a 2-1 lead into the seventh and lost it. David Murphy walked and reached third on a single by Carlos Santana with no outs. Workman was replaced by Burke Badenhop, who allowed a tying sacrifice fly by Yan Gomes.

Cleveland threatened in the 10th when Craig Breslow issued two-out walks to Brantley and Kipnis, but Lonnie Chisenhall grounded into a forceout.

NOTES: Cleveland leadoff hitter Michael Bourn went 0 for 6 Sunday and 1 for 19 in the series. … Red Sox 3B Xander Bogaerts was not in the starting lineup because of flu-like symptoms but pinch ran in the ninth . … Stephen Drew started at shortstop for Boston after missing six games with a right side muscle injury. … Workman is expected to learn this week the result of his appeal of a six-game suspension after he threw near the head of Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria on May 30. . … The Red Sox continue their seven-game homestand Monday night against the Minnesota Twins. Rubby De La Rosa (1-2) pitches for Boston against Kevin Correia (3-7). After going 5-5 on their road trip, the Indians return home Monday night to face the Los Angeles Angels. Trevor Bauer (1-3) pitches for Cleveland against Jered Weaver (7-5).

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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