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Twins stymied by Iwakuma, Mariners in 2-0 loss

By WTOP Staff

JOSH LIEBESKIND
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — The Minnesota Twins were unable to advance a runner past first base through the first six innings against Hisashi Iwakuma on Monday night.

The seventh provided the Twins their only opportunity of the night to break through against the Seattle Mariners right-hander. But as he had done all night, Iwakuma quickly erased all hope.

Iwakuma stranded runners at second and third in the seventh with an emphatic strikeout of Sam Fuld and the Twins came up empty in a 2-0 loss to Seattle.

Iwakuma (7-4) has not allowed an earned run to the Twins in five career starts, which spans 33 2-3 innings. After allowing a combined 10 runs in two consecutive starts to close out June, Iwakuma has given up just one in his two outings in July.

“He’s got great stuff,” Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. “You watch it up there and he doesn’t really throw the same thing anytime. His ball moves all over the place and his back-door fastball against right-handers when he gets ahead, he can paint. He’s got a great breaking ball. They keep saying it’s like a Frisbee.”

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his American League-leading 26th save in 28 chances.

Kevin Correia (4-11) took the loss despite allowing only five hits in seven innings. Two of those hits were solo home runs, one by Mike Zunino in the second and one by Michael Saunders in the seventh. It was the fourth time in the last five starts that the right-hander has left the game with no run support, and the sixth time this season the Twins have not been able to score a run for him.

“I still want to win some games here, but when we scored some runs early in the season I wasn’t able to take advantage of it, and now I’m pitching well and we’re not scoring as often,” Correia said. “Hopefully two and two will come together and I’ll be able to turn it around.”

The Twins struggled just to put the ball in play, tying a season high by striking out 14 times.

Minnesota put runners on second and third with one out in the seventh after Kendrys Morales singled and Oswaldo Arcia doubled, half of the four hits Iwakuma allowed on the night. Iwakuma got a groundout to third and then struck out Fuld on a 3-2 splitter to extinguish the Twins’ only scoring opportunity.

Correia faced additional trouble after Zunino’s 396-foot blast to left field in the second as Dustin Ackley singled and advanced on Brad Miller’s one-out walk. Correia was able to retire the next two batters, though, to avoid further damage.

“Kevin did a fantastic job,” Gardenhire said. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to come through with getting any runs on their guy.”

Saunders’ sixth home run of the year was nearly caught by Fuld, but the ball tipped off the top of the center fielder’s glove as he slammed into the fence.

The shutout continued a strong run by Mariners pitching, in which the staff has allowed three runs in 29 innings.

NOTES: Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony said there are no updates on 1B Joe Mauer (oblique strain) and INF Danny Santana (bone bruise in left knee), although both are progressing fine. … Manager Lloyd McClendon said the Mariners have not decided who will start Thursday’s game against the Twins. McClendon also said the scheduled starters for the weekend series against the Oakland Athletics — RHP Felix Hernandez, RHP Taijuan Walker and RHP Hisashi Iwakuma — is not set in stone. … The Mariners send RHP Chris Young to the mound Tuesday to face RHP Phil Hughes of the Twins.

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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