Skip to main content

Butler, Royals overcome Indians for 5th win in row

By WTOP Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Billy Butler and the surging Kansas City Royals wrecked things for the Cleveland Indians for the second straight night.

Butler homered for the second consecutive game and the Royals overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Indians 7-5 on Saturday night for their fifth straight win.

A day after his pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth inning beat Cleveland, Butler connected for a tiebreaking shot in the fifth inning. It was 5-5 when he tagged Nick Hagadone for a 433-foot drive over the Royals bullpen in left field, 11 feet further than Friday’s shot.

“I’ve never been a guy that’s usually gotten distance,” Butler said. “I caught the last two pretty good. Maybe I’m starting to figure it out and starting to put the barrel on it.

“I got a good pitch and got a good result. I’m just going to keep building off that.”

The pitch was a mistake by Hagadone.

“It was supposed to be down and away,” Hagadone said. “It was an 0-1 fastball that was down and in the middle. He hit it pretty good. He put a good swing on it. Once he hit it I knew it was gone.”

Carlos Santana hit his third homer in two games for Cleveland, which has lost six of seven.

Jeremy Guthrie (6-9) won despite giving up five runs, 10 hits and two walks in 5 2-3 innings.

“I didn’t feel as bad as the results were in the second inning,” Guthrie said. “I just couldn’t make a big pitch to get anybody out. They started banging around a little when I got a little tired. I really just felt frustrated. I understood the bullpen needed a rest today.

“I wasn’t certainly going to accomplish that goal as much as I wanted to after the second inning. At that point, I wanted to get as many quick outs as possible.”

Greg Holland, the fourth Kansas City reliever, got his 27th save in 29 chances.

Zach McAllister (3-6) couldn’t hold a 5-0 lead. He gave up a single to Salvador Perez to start the fifth and was replaced by Hagadone.

Guthrie had lost his previous three starts. He has an 8.44 ERA in three starts this season against the Indians.

The Indians scored five times in the second. Santana led off with a home run, and Jason Kipnis broke an 0-for-11 rut with a two-run double.

“Jeremy had a hard time stopping the bleeding in the second,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “But he doesn’t let much bother him. He’s very calm and very composed.”

Santana is 12 for 25 with six RBIs in his last six games.

“Right now I see the ball very well,” Santana said. “I feel comfortable. I’m not thinking too much. I’m enjoying my time and enjoying my game.”

McAllister, just brought up from Triple-A Columbus after going 5-0 with a 2.23 ERA, faced 22 batters and 10 reached base. After starting the season 3-0, he is 0-6 in nine starts.

“When they scored those runs I just kind of fell behind,” McAllister said. “I wasn’t able to mix when I needed to, and they were able to put the ball in play.”

Omar Infante had an RBI grounder in the third, and the Royals tied it with four more in fourth. Nori Aoki hit a two-run triple with two outs and scored on a passed ball to tie it.

NOTES: 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was scratched from the Indians lineup because of an illness. … Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera hasn’t played since Monday because of back spasms. … Aoki batted first for the Royals after hitting in the bottom third of the order for seven games since being activated July 11 from the disabled list. He opened the season batting leadoff. … The Indians optioned RHP Josh Tomlin, who was 5-7 with a 4.47 ERA, to Triple-A Columbus. … Royals LHP Bruce Chen will make his seventh start Sunday and his third since coming off the disabled list on June 24.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote