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Tigers lose finale 2-1, drop 3 of 4 to LA Angels

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Detroit Tigers traveled to Angel Stadium to find out how they stack up against another AL power.

They headed home realizing they can’t beat anybody if their high-priced lineup doesn’t score more runs.

David Freese homered off Joba Chamberlain in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels beat Detroit 2-1 Sunday for their third straight victory.

Victor Martinez had an RBI double in the first inning for the Tigers, but Hector Santiago and three Angels relievers combined on a three-hitter. Detroit managed just one hit in the final 25 at-bats of its ninth loss in 10 games at the Big A, getting just one baserunner after the first inning.

Detroit scored just two runs in its three weekend losses to Los Angeles, wasting three strong efforts by starting pitchers. Rick Porcello couldn’t pick up his 13th win in the finale despite seven innings of five-hit ball for the AL Central leaders.

“Other than the first inning, we really didn’t do much against Santiago or any of the relief pitchers they brought in,” Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. “Their pitchers have done well, and their relievers have done the job, but we’re not swinging the bat very well. Teams go through offensive slumps. It happened early in the season, and it’ll probably happen again during the season.”

Miguel Cabrera epitomized the Tigers’ frustration, striking out twice in the final four innings to end an 0-for-4 day.

Erick Aybar scored from second base on Porcello’s poor pickoff throw in the fifth for the Angels, who improved the majors’ second-best record to 63-41 in the finale of a 10-game homestand.

Porcello left without a victory that would have matched St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright for the major league lead. Porcello struck out six, including the last four batters he faced, and only allowed a runner to reach second base in the fifth inning, when Aybar and Kendrick had back-to-back singles.

Porcello then threw a pickoff attempt into center field, and Aybar alertly scampered all the way home when Austin Jackson and the Tigers’ middle infielders forgot about the All-Star, failing to hustle the ball home.

“We’ve talked to Austin,” Ausmus said. “He knows that can’t happen, and it certainly won’t happen again. He’s got to be aware of where that lead runner is. You can’t take anything for granted. It’s certainly not the way you want to give up the tying run, or any run at all.”

Porcello acknowledged his own mistake as well.

“I just didn’t execute the play,” Porcello said. “You take a chance, backpicking at second base, but you know that kind of thing can happen. You really have to be on the money with that throw. I yanked the throw and pulled it, and it ended up being a pretty big play.”

Freese’s sixth homer of the season helped to finish a tense, pitching-dominated series between teams with two of the majors’ top three records. Los Angeles took three of four in the series despite scoring just eight runs in its victories.

After the previous five batters struck out, Freese delivered one of the biggest hits in his up-and-down debut season with the Angels, driving a one-out pitch from Chamberlain (1-4) to the fake rock pile beyond the center field fence.

Freese and Chamberlain had never faced each other before.

“I just hung a slider there that didn’t do anything, obviously,” Chamberlain said. “I was trying to read his swing off the tapes before in his previous at-bats, and I just felt like the slider was a good pitch to throw.”

After a rough first inning, Santiago retired 14 straight Tigers in another strong start for the Angels. The left-hander yielded three hits while pitching into the sixth inning of his seventh straight appearance without a loss following his 0-7 start to the year.

Joe Smith (4-0) pitched the eighth for Los Angeles, which got nine innings of scoreless, two-hit relief pitching in its three straight wins over Detroit.

Huston Street pitched the ninth for his third save in four appearances with his new club.

NOTES: Rookie Angels reliever Mike Morin retired all five Tigers he faced after relieving Santiago, striking out Kinsler and Miguel Cabrera to end the sixth. … Cabrera is hitless in nine straight at-bats. “He’s been a little frustrated all year because of the post-surgery,” Ausmus said. “Everything isn’t in sync for him, and he’s having trouble right now.” … Mike Trout went 2 for 15 in the series.

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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