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2 miscues late costs Yanks in loss to Blue Jays

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Dellin Betances sailed a pickoff attempt into right field. And then, David Robertson didn’t even bother to hold Jose Bautista on base.

A day after Brian McCann’s indecision at first base cost the Yankees in their first loss to Toronto in the Bronx after 17 straight wins, two more mistakes cost them a chance for a series win.

Betances’ two-base error set up a go-ahead sacrifice fly for Munenori Kawasaki in the eighth inning. After New York tied it in the bottom half, Robertson’s lapse let Bautista move into scoring position ahead of Dioner Navarro’s RBI single.

After rallying three times Sunday, the Yankees lost 5-4 to the Blue Jays to drop their first series at Yankee Stadium to Toronto in nearly two years.

“Our miscues is what cost us in this series,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We’ve got to be better at that.”

Bautista reached on a fielder’s choice against Robertson (1-3), stole second without a throw and scored on Navarro’s liner to center field for the final lead.

“I just let him slip. I didn’t think he’d be going, Robertson said. “I just didn’t have my sharp stuff.”

Bautista was running on his own.

“I just took a chance and said I’m going to try and take a hop step when he comes set, and if he doesn’t fake, I’m going to run,” Bautista said. “He went to the plate, and I had the easiest stolen base. I got in scoring position early in the at-bat for Dioner.”

Aaron Sanchez (1-0) gave up Carlos Beltran’s tying RBI hit in the eighth. Kawasaki had put Toronto ahead with a flyball that followed Betances’ wild throw. The first-time All-Star opened the inning with a walk to Colby Rasmus.

“My cleat got stuck,” Betances said. “As soon as that happened I had a feeling I was going to throw it away.”

The Blue Jays won for the seventh time in 10 games following the All-Star break — the same record as the Yankees. But their first series win in New York against the AL East rival since Aug. 27-29, 2012, sent Toronto to Boston with a one-game lead over the Yankees for the second AL wild card.

“They beat us,” Derek Jeter said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Juan Francisco homered off Shane Greene leading off the fifth to put Toronto up 2-0. But Chase Headley hit his first homer with the Yankees, a drive off J.A. Happ, and two pitches later Francisco Cervelli hit his first homer in 15 months to tie it in the sixth.

Casey Janssen pitched the ninth for his 16th save.

Jeter made two nice stops at shortstop and Brendan Ryan, a shortstop playing second base, also flashed some impressive leather while playing in front of Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who wears No. 2 to honor his favorite player as a kid. The injured star was on the East Coast for a second opinion on his hip flexor from a doctor in Philadelphia.

Jeter said he wasn’t aware Tulowitzki was at the game — or that he was hurt.

Bautista had a run-scoring grounder to first base after Jose Reyes led off the game with a single and Melky Cabrera doubled. Francisco led off the fifth with a drive into the second deck in right field for a 2-0 lead.

But Happ gave it all back in a three-pitch span in the bottom half. First, Headley hit a drive deep to left. With a 1-0 count, Cervelli sent a shot to right-center that glanced off a leaping Cabrera’s glove and hit the top of the right-field wall.

Rausmus put Toronto back up with a double to left-center in the sixth, chasing Greene after 5 1-3 innings.

“I got to have a short memory, but that one hurt,” Greene said of the pitch to Rasmus.

Greene allowed eight hits and three runs in his second straight difficult outing after beginning his career as a starter with two outstanding outings.

NOTES: The Yankees have given up 43 unearned runs this year. They allowed 38 all last season. … Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (back strain) hit off a tee and soft toss, and fielder grounders. Girardi said Teixeira is still day to day. Girardi also said Beltran is still at least a week away from returning to OF. He’s continuing with his throwing program. Beltran hasn’t played the outfield since May 11 because of a bone spur. “I’m trying,” Beltran said. … Up next: The Blue Jays are at the Boston Red Sox. R.A. Dickey (8-10) will start Monday. The Yankees head to Texas for three games. David Phelps (5-4) pitches for New York.

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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