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Worn down and tired, White Sox lose 7-0 to Toronto

By WTOP Staff

IAN HARRISON
Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Worn down and deflated following an extra-innings loss at Baltimore the night before, the Chicago White Sox didn’t have much to offer in their series opener against the Blue Jays.

Adam Lind had three hits and three RBIs, J.A. Happ pitched a season-high 7 2-3 innings and Toronto beat the struggling White Sox 7-0 Thursday night.

“That game just smelled right from the start,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “We didn’t play very well, didn’t hit very well, didn’t play defense very well and it showed.”

Chicago was coming off a 12-inning loss at Baltimore on Wednesday that saw them blow a four-run lead in the eighth, then endure a rain delay in extra innings. They didn’t arrive at their Toronto hotel until almost sunrise.

“We’ve had a long 24 hours,” infielder Gordon Beckham said. “We just didn’t have it tonight and it’s not fun.”

Jose Reyes had four hits and scored twice as the AL East-leading Blue Jays reached the midpoint of the season at 45-36 and handed the struggling White Sox their seventh loss in eight games. Chicago lost for the 10th time in 11 road games.

Chicago lost center fielder Adam Eaton in the first inning with cramps in his left leg. Leury Garcia took over in center.

“Just the way he was going down the line, it didn’t look good,” Ventura said of Eaton, who missed two weeks last month with a strained right hamstring.

Eaton said he hoped to be in the lineup Friday.

“I feel better after some of the treatment I’ve been doing,” Eaton said. “We’ll continue to work on it.”

Happ (7-4) allowed four hits to win for the third time in five starts. The left-hander walked two and struck out a season-high eight.

“He had some good life on his fastball,” Beckham said. “I looked up in my last at-bat in the eighth and he was throwing it 94, 95. He was obviously feeling it a little bit.”

Happ was hit hard in an 11-1 loss to the Reds last Saturday, but said he used that poor start to motivate himself for this one.

“I put it behind me but I did pitch a little upset, a little angry at myself,” Happ said. “That helps.”

Dustin McGowan got the final out of the eighth and Chad Jenkins finished as the Blue Jays recorded their 10th shutout. The White Sox were blanked for the sixth time.

Starting for the first time since May 19, White Sox right-hander Scott Carroll (2-4) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings. Carroll, who walked two and struck out four, returned to the rotation in place of Andre Rienzo, who was moved to the bullpen.

“It was a frustrating night over all because I made a lot of good pitches,” Carroll said.

Lind hit an RBI double in the first, singled in the third and hit a two-run single in the fourth. He struck out in the seventh and, batting with runners at second and third in the eighth, flied out to the warning track in left.

The White Sox hit leadoff doubles in the fourth and eighth, and put the leadoff man at second on an error in the fifth, but couldn’t capitalize.

NOTES: Eaton’s early exit ended his hitting streak at a career-high 12 games and snapped his streak of reaching base safely at 20 games, also a career best. … Chicago designated LH Scott Downs for assignment and recalled LH Eric Surkamp from Triple-A Charlotte. … White Sox assistant hitting coach Harold Baines will miss this four-game series while attending his daughter’s wedding. … Toronto OF Jose Bautista will test his sore left hamstring Friday and hopes to return to the lineup this weekend. … White Sox LH John Danks (6-6) faces Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (6-6) on Friday.

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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