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Masterson rocked again in 5-3 loss

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — Justin Masterson’s performance is a growing concern for the Cleveland Indians, and the next step for their opening-day starter is unclear.

Masterson lasted just two-plus innings in a 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday night. With his fastball rarely topping 90 mph, the right-hander was charged with five runs and six hits.

“Tough night,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “Fell behind and threw some pitches that got hit pretty hard.”

Masterson (4-6) walked three, and 24 of his 54 pitches went for strikes. He is 0-2 with an unseemly 9.50 ERA in 18 innings over his last five starts.

Masterson has been pitching with a sore right knee and got extra rest after lasting four innings against Arizona on June 24. Then he failed to retire a batter in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

Francona was noncommittal about a potential stint on the disabled list.

“I don’t think we really want to make decisions five minutes after a game,” Francona said. “We’ll sit and talk to Masty a little bit. It’s hard to ask somebody (about an injury) when they’re pitching. The middle of a game’s not the time to do that.”

Masterson’s slump has strained Cleveland’s bullpen. The Indians used five relievers Monday, but they combined for seven shutout innings, striking out seven and walking none.

“You’re always frustrated when you don’t do well,” Masterson said. “Even though I feel like I’m putting forth as much effort as I can, you’re letting down your guys and they’ve been fighting really hard. Like I always say, in here we love each other more than any other team in this league and that makes it a little more tough when it truly is you’re letting down your family a little bit.”

Masterson is a free agent after the season. There was talk about a contract extension in spring training, but the sides were unable to reach an agreement.

For now, Masterson is left searching for answers.

“It’s one of those where it’s a tick (off),” he said. “You’re so close and yet you’re so far away. I felt like tonight was going to be such a great one. Great bullpen session, we got some good things in. It’s just something so tiny can make such a big difference when you’re going 60 feet, 6 inches.”

Nick Swisher and Yan Gomes homered for Cleveland.

Shane Greene (1-0) allowed two runs in six innings for his first major league win. He didn’t allow a hit until Swisher’s two-out homer in the fifth.

The 25-year-old right-hander, called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, was pressed into service after scheduled starter Vidal Nuno was traded to Arizona for right-hander Brandon McCarthy on Sunday.

Brett Gardner, Brian McCann and Ichiro Suzuki had three hits apiece for New York. All-Star Dellin Betances pitched the final two innings for his first career save.

Greene’s only big league appearance came in relief against Boston on April 24 when he pitched one-third of an inning and allowed three unearned runs. He walked three of four hitters, all of whom scored, and threw eight of 23 pitches for strikes.

A 15th-round selection by New York in 2009, Greene allowed four hits. He struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.

Derek Jeter, playing in his final regular-season series in Cleveland, was 1 for 4 and drew a bases-loaded walk in the second.

NOTES: Indians OF Michael Bourn will miss three to four weeks with a strained left hamstring. … Cleveland acquired OF Chris Dickerson from Pittsburgh for cash or a player to be named. He started in left field and had a sixth-inning single. … The Indians honored their former television/radio announcer Mike Hegan, who died in December, in a pregame ceremony. Hegan, a native of Cleveland, began his major league career with the Yankees in 1964. … All-Star RHP Masahiro Tanaka (12-3) faces Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (2-4) on Tuesday.

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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