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Noesi, Eaton lead White Sox past Twins, 5-2

By WTOP Staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An impressive start from Hector Noesi was just a couple of pitches away from being something really special.

Noesi allowed three hits over 7 2-3 innings, and Adam Eaton had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

Noesi (5-7) gave up two runs, struck out three and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning. Alexei Ramirez added two hits and an RBI for Chicago, and Jake Petricka went one inning to earn his fifth save in six chances.

“When you have command of your fastball, every pitch you can mix in, and they’re going to swing and miss,” Noesi said. “But everything was working today.”

Phil Hughes (10-7) gave up two runs and four hits and struck out four for the Twins. But he left the game with a bruised right shin in the fourth inning when he was hit by a chopper off the bat of Adam Dunn. Hughes is listed as day-to-day.

Danny Santana hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning for the Twins, who couldn’t touch Noesi for most of the game.

The White Sox claimed Noesi off waivers from Texas at the end of April and he has been up and down for most of the season. The Dominican right-hander had everything working against the Twins, who traded veteran Kendrys Morales to Seattle earlier Thursday in the first of what could be several salary dumps as the trade deadline approaches.

“The strides he’s made are impressive from when we got him to what he’s doing now where he’s at,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “To be able to go out and give you this it’s definitely steps in the right direction.”

Noesi didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Trevor Plouffe reached on a bloop single that plopped down between three White Sox. He allowed only two runners in the first seven innings, and by the time the Twins got to him in the eighth, it was too late.

“He kept us off balance all night long,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Hughes, in an ominous sign for a team that has struggled mightily to find quality starting pitching, limped off the field in the fourth inning after being hit. X-rays were negative, and Hughes is hopeful to make his next start.

The White Sox jumped on emergency reliever Samuel Deduno, who walked in a run and gave up a two-run single to Eaton to fall behind 4-0.

The Twins can’t afford to lose Hughes, who has been by far their best starter this season. He entered the game with a 10-6 record and 4.06 ERA, and his reliable performance through the first half of the season made his three-year, $24 million contract one of the few bright spots during another miserable season in Minnesota.

“Just thankful it wasn’t broken and just go from there,” Hughes said. “It’s sore right now and I’m sure it will be worse tomorrow. I’m just happy it should be all right in a few days.”

NOTES: Chicago’s Jose Abreu extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a double in the fifth. … White Sox bench coach Mark Parent is not with the team for the series due to family reasons. … With regular 3B coach Joe Vavra’s hip ailing, the Twins have been using 1B coach Scott Ullger at third and Paul Molitor at 1B. Molitor is leaving the team this weekend to attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown so the Twins called up Sam Perlozzo to coach 1B for the rest of the weekend. Perlozzo is the team’s minor league instructor. … The White Sox send LHP John Danks (8-6, 4.35) to the mound on Friday night against RHP Kevin Correia (5-12, 4.76).

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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