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Porcello shaky, Tigers fall to Rays 7-3

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

DETROIT (AP) — It was a day of mixed emotions for Rick Porcello.

He didn’t make the All-Star team — but he still might. Then he took the mound in the middle of one of the best stretches of his career, and gave up three runs before getting an out.

“I was falling behind guys. I didn’t stay down in the zone well tonight at all,” the Detroit right-hander said. “Just wasn’t sharp early, and then obviously in the later innings kind of lost it again.”

David Price came within an out of a complete game, and the Tampa Bay Rays climbed out of last place in the AL East with a 7-3 victory over the Tigers on Sunday night. The AL Central-leading Tigers put three players on the All-Star team — Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Max Scherzer. Porcello is a candidate in online voting for the final American League spot.

“Very happy for my teammates that have made the team, and obviously honored to be included in the final vote,” Porcello said. “A lot of good pitchers out there.”

The Rays have won three straight and eight of nine to move a half-game ahead of defending champion Boston in the standings. Tampa Bay had sole possession of the cellar for 39 consecutive days.

Price (8-7) received his fourth All-Star selection before the game, and he allowed three runs and seven hits before being pulled amid rain, thunder and lightning with two outs in the ninth. Jake McGee came on with two on and got the final out for his fifth save in six chances.

Porcello (11-5) allowed seven runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

“Certainly not indicative of the type of pitcher Rick is,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “His last couple starts were outstanding. It just so happened that timing-wise it wasn’t great for him, but he certainly deserved to be an All-Star.”

Matt Joyce and Desmond Jennings homered for Tampa Bay, and Torii Hunter and J.D. Martinez went deep for Detroit. The Rays had 19 hits, including four each by Ben Zobrist and Sean Rodriguez.

Price struck out six and walked three, throwing 107 pitches. Martinez led off the Detroit ninth with a homer, and Price was able to get only two more outs as it began to rain steadily at Comerica Park. There was at least one bright streak of lightning beyond center field and loud claps of thunder.

“It was crazy. I wasn’t really looking up,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Just trying to get David through it.”

Porcello was coming off back-to-back shutouts, but his 25-inning scoreless streak ended before he could retire a batter. Jennings led off with a double and scored on Zobrist’s single. Then Joyce’s drive was ruled a home run after a review — it hit the railing just above the wall in right field — to give the Rays a 3-0 lead in the first.

The Tigers still lead their division by four games after losing three of four to Tampa Bay.

With Price on the mound, the Rays were in good shape after scoring three runs in the first. In the fifth, Evan Longoria added an RBI single to make it 4-1.

Tampa Bay scored three more in the sixth. With men on first and third and one out, Kevin Kiermaier hit a grounder to second that was nearly a double play, but he beat the relay to first for an RBI fielder’s choice.

That made it 5-1 and kept the inning going. Jennings followed with a homer to left-center.

Jennings also made sliding catches in center field in the sixth and seventh.

Hunter led off the seventh with a solo shot, his 11th homer of the year. Detroit might have scored another run that inning on Austin Jackson’s line drive to the corner in left. But Eugenio Suarez, trying to score from first, lost his footing on the grass outside the baseline and fell about halfway between third and home, giving the Rays an easy out at the plate.

NOTES: Victor Martinez sat out a second straight game with a back issue. … Tampa Bay LHP Cesar Ramos and wife Melanie celebrated the birth Saturday of Addison Lynn Ramos, their first child. … Rays SS Yunel Escobar (right shoulder) begins a rehab assignment Monday in the Gulf Coast League. … Detroit is off Monday. Tampa Bay hosts the Royals. Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (4-7) takes on Kansas City RHP James Shields (8-4).

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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