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Martinez-led Tigers win 6th in row, 8-6 at Texas

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Those Martinez sluggers in the middle of the Detroit Tigers’ lineup keep coming up big.

Most everyone already knew about Victor. Now they are getting familiar with J.D.

The unrelated players homered on consecutive pitches by different Texas pitchers in the fifth, after back-to-back doubles in a three-run first, as the AL Central-leading Tigers stretched their winning streak to six games with an 8-6 victory at Texas.

“He’s been swinging the bat great, and he’s a guy that has a lot of power,” cleanup hitter Victor said of J.D. “He’s getting a chance to play more often, and he’s been doing a lot of damage.”

After Victor Martinez led off the fifth with his 20th homer to chase Joe Saunders (0-4), J.D. went deep on the first pitch thrown by reliever Shawn Tolleson.

“That’s how he attacked me (Tuesday). He struck me out on three straight fastballs. … He likes to leave the ball up. I’m looking for a fastball there,” J.D. Martinez said. “It’s never a bad plan, either, looking for a fastball up.”

It was his ninth homer this season, the sixth during a 14-game hitting streak that is the longest active in the majors. J.D. Martinez is hitting .418 (23 for 55) with eight doubles and 17 RBIs in that span.

“Vic’s been swinging the bat well all year, right-handed, left-handed, you take your pick,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “The thing about J.D. is his power. When he gets hot, the ball is going to travel.”

Victor and J.D. also had consecutive doubles when Detroit went ahead to stay with three runs in the first inning.

Texas lost its seventh consecutive game, the longest current losing streak in the majors.

“It’s definitely hard to comprehend a seven-game losing streak, but it is what it is,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We knew why. We’ve got to score some runs, and we’ve got to pitch better.”

The Rangers trailed 6-3 when left-hander Saunders left after giving up seven hits and walking five.

Anibal Sanchez (5-2) struck out five and allowed four runs in 5 1-3 innings. The right-hander is 5-0 in his eight starts since coming off the disabled list May 18 after missing three weeks with a cut on his right middle finger.

Joe Nathan, the Texas closer the last two seasons before leaving in free agency, gave up a run in the ninth before clinching his 16th save in 21 chances.

Carlos Pena homered and scored twice in his second game back with the Rangers, the team he made his major league debut for in 2001 before being traded the following winter.

Detroit’s first five hits were for extra bases before Torii Hunter’s RBI single in the third made it 5-0.

Rajai Davis led off the game with a triple into the right-center gap. Ian Kinsler then walked on four pitches and Miguel Cabrera had a sacrifice fly before the consecutive Martinez doubles.

Kinsler and Cabrera had consecutive doubles to start the third.

Texas scored three times in the fourth, which started when Shin-Soo Choo singled before Adrian Beltre’s RBI double. Pena singled and came home on a single by Robinson Chirinos.

Texas rookie second baseman Rougned Odor struck out for the third time in the eighth, but made it to the third base after a wild pitch and a throwing error by catcher Bryan Holaday. Odor was initially called out sliding into third base by umpire Tim Welke even as the ball rolled free, but the umpiring crew conferred and changed the call to safe without a replay.

NOTES: The Rangers are a season-high 12 1-2 games behind Oakland in the AL West, their largest deficit since the end of the 2008 season. … The Rangers are 16-21 at home, where they have lost six of their last seven. … When Pena homered in the sixth, the ball landed in a pan of brisket set up in a seating area in the right-field corner.

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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