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Santana hits 2 more HRs, Indians stop Royals

By WTOP Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Jim Rice didn’t do it. Neither did Mark McGwire, Albert Pujols, Jim Thome, Barry Bonds nor any other opposing slugger who played at Kansas City.

Carlos Santana hit five home runs in a series at spacious Kauffman Stadium, connecting for two more shots Sunday and leading the Cleveland Indians over the Royals 10-3.

Santana tied a team record for homers in a series, finishing off this four-game set with a pair of two-run shots. He has homered in three straight games, and has hit six home runs in six games.

“I know I’m hot, but I’m taking the same approach,” Santana said. “This can happen in this game when a player gets focused. It’s a help to the team.”

Santana and the Indians ended a four-game losing skid and stopped the Royals’ five-game winning streak.

Santana went 3 for 3 and reached base in all five plate appearances, including drawing his major league-leading 72nd walk. The switch-hitter homered in a four-run fifth inning and hit another drive in the ninth for his fifth career multihomer game and his second of the series.

“It was pretty impressive to watch,” teammate Mike Aviles said. “Everybody knows how big he can be. He was able to drive some balls out of the park consistently from both sides.”

“Watching him all season, he has an unbelievable eye. I know his average isn’t where he wants it to be, but he got off to a slow start. But even through his struggles early in the year, he was able to find ways to get on base. You knew with a guy like him it was only a matter of time before he got back on pace.”

In his past six games, Santana is 14 for 23, including three doubles and 10 RBIs.

“He’s hot as a firecracker,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He’s hitting home runs right-handed. He’s hitting home runs left-handed.”

Ryan Raburn and Yan Gomes also homered for the Indians, who had lost six straight at Kauffman Stadium.

Danny Salazar (3-4) gave up three runs and seven hits over seven innings. He walked none and struck out seven.

Bruce Chen (2-3) allowed up six runs and eight hits in five-plus innings.

Nick Swisher hit an RBI single in the Indians seventh to end an 0-for-21 streak.

Billy Butler had three hits for the Royals, including an RBI double. He had homered in his previous two games, but Santana equaled Butler’s season home run total in the series.

“Santana has got a lot of pop,” Butler said. “He’s in one of those zones. A lot of guys get hot, but don’t hit four homers in a series. Five, sorry, I missed one. It just shows you how impressive it is. He’s very talented, a very strong guy.”

Santana is the first player to hit five home runs in a series since Hunter Pence for San Francisco against the Dodgers last September.

Santana tied an Indians record for most home runs in a series. The others were Hal Trosky (1934), Joe Carter (1989), Albert Belle (1995), Matt Williams (1997) and Travis Hafner (2004). Hafner did it in two-game series against the Angels.

NOTES: After missing five games with back problems, SS Asdrubal Cabrera started for the Indians. 3B Lonnie Chisenhall was held out the second straight game with a stomach virus. … Royals RHP Wade Davis has not allowed an extra-base hit this season in 44 2-3 innings. … The Indians will activate RHP Justin Masterson on Friday and start him against Texas. Masterson, a 14-game winner last year, is on the disabled list with right knee inflammation. … Chen picked Aviles off first to end the third inning. It was Chen’s 45th career pickoff, which ranks fourth among active pitchers. … Three of Raburn’s seven hits against Chen are home runs.

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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