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De La Rosa hit hard, Blue Jays blank Red Sox 8-0

By WTOP Staff

TORONTO (AP) — Boston’s hopes of turning a dismal season around took a big hit against the Blue Jays.

Marcus Stroman and two relievers combined on a one-hitter, Juan Francisco drove in four runs and came within a double of the cycle and Toronto beat the Red Sox 8-0 on Thursday, last-place Boston’s third straight loss.

“We were behind the eight-ball right from the first or second inning, and were never really in this one,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

Boston set season-highs in runs, hits (18) and home runs (four) in Monday’s 14-1 rout, their fifth straight win and eighth in nine games, but managed just seven runs over the final 27 innings of the series.

The one-hitter was Toronto’s first against the Red Sox in 550 all-time meetings. Boston was shut out for the 10th time this season.

Slugger David Ortiz felt back spasms on a check swing in the ninth and was replaced by Jonny Gomes, who flied out to end the game.

“Hopefully it’s not anything serious,” Ortiz said.

Stroman’s no-hit bid ended when Shane Victorino blooped a single to center to lead off the seventh. One out later, Victorino was erased on Mike Napoli’s double-play grounder.

Stroman (6-2) only allowed two other baserunners on walks and matched a season-high by striking out seven in seven innings. The rookie right-hander is 5-1 with an 1.54 ERA in seven home starts.

“He’s pitching like a veteran who’s been around a long time and he’s been very successful,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “He shuts down good-hitting teams, he’s a great competitor.”

Todd Redmond worked the eighth and Rob Rasmussen finished.

Red Sox right-hander Rubby De La Rosa allowed seven runs, six earned, in a season-low four-plus innings, raising his ERA from 2.64 to 3.54.

“He had a hard time neutralizing their left-handed hitters,” Farrell said. “Francisco had big day.”

De La Rosa (3-3), who lost for the first time since June 11 at Baltimore, walked two and struck out one. He’s 0-3 with a 6.04 ERA in four road starts, but 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in four starts at Fenway Park.

“I try to have everything the same,” De La Rosa said of the disparity. “It doesn’t make sense for me.”

Francisco tripled and scored in the second, hit a two-run homer in the third and added a two-run single in the fifth as the Blue Jays won for the fifth time in six games.

Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera went 3 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs. Cabrera scored a run and doubled three times.

After getting the day off Wednesday, Red Sox rookie Brock Holt returned to the lineup at second base. Holt has started at every position this season except pitcher, catcher and designated hitter. Dustin Pedroia, who is stuck in a 2-for-24 slump, got the day off.

Cabrera opened the scoring on a bases-loaded passed ball in the first. Toronto made it 3-0 in the second when Francisco tripled off the glove of Jackie Bradley Jr. and scored on Ryan Goins’ double, with Goins coming home on Cabrera’s first double.

Francisco made it 5-0 with his two-out homer in the third, then added a bases-loaded single off Burke Badenhop in the sixth.

Toronto loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Badenhop got Dan Johnson to ground into a double play.

Cabrera made it 8-0 when he doubled home Jose Reyes against Edward Mujica in the eighth.

NOTES: Boston failed to hit a home run for the first time in eight games. … The Red Sox begin a three-game series at Tampa Bay Friday, with Boston LH Jon Lester facing Rays LH David Price. There was bad feelings between the teams after Price drilled Ortiz with a pitch in a May 30 game at Fenway Park.

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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