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Indians’ McAllister struggles in loss to Royals

By WTOP Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — In his return to the Cleveland rotation, Zach McAllister looked more like he did in May than in April.

That didn’t bode well for the Indians.

McAllister failed to hold an early five-run lead as Billy Butler homered for the second straight game and the Kansas City Royals beat the Indians 7-5 Saturday night for their fifth straight win.

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.

McAllister was sent down after posting a 10.67 ERA in May.

“I didn’t think he got hit hard,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I thought he was up on a lot of his pitches. When we scored five he came out the next inning and gave up two 0-2 hits.

“In the fourth inning he had a leadoff walk. He couldn’t get the ball down enough so they were able to fight off balls. He was having a hard time getting his secondary pitches over. If not throwing them for strikes, they’re not going to help. I actually think when he’s throwing his fastball and he’s locating it, it’s a really good pitch. That’s what makes Zach the pitcher we need.”

They don’t need the one who was roughed up by the Royals.

“In my last start at Triple-A and my last start up here, I had a really good mix,” McAllister said. “Today I didn’t do that. I have to do that. I have to mix my pitches. I’ve got to get into my secondary stuff and throw those pitches for strikes.”

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

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

McAllister (3-6) 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 outings 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.

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

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: Indians 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was scratched from the 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 from the disabled list on July 11. … 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 June 24. … The Indians are 0-5 this season at Kauffman Stadium. … Santana has reached base in 16 consecutive games and is hitting .522 in a six-game hitting streak.

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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