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Toronto ends 17-game Bronx skid, beats Yanks 6-4

By WTOP Staff

RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — For nearly two years, the Toronto Blue Jays had walked off the field at Yankee Stadium with losses. Every time.

Dan Johnson’s 70-foot infield hit helped the Blue Jays stop their 17-game skid in the Bronx.

Johnson drove in four runs with the seventh-inning single and a three-run homer in the ninth, lifting the Blue Jays over New York 6-4 on Saturday for their first win at Yankee Stadium since Aug. 29, 2012.

“We were trying anything,” Johnson said, “just to kind of change the feeling, the mojo here.”

Toronto didn’t take batting practice before Friday’s 6-3 loss or on Saturday. Manager John Gibbons described the losing streak as feeling “Volkswagen tracks” on his neck.

Brian McCann’s two-run homer off Drew Hutchison (7-9) put New York ahead, but the Blue Jays tied the score in the fifth against Chris Capuano, who was making his Yankees debut, on Melky Cabrera’s RBI double and Steve Tolleson’s sacrifice fly.

Toronto went ahead in the seventh when Shawn Kelley (1-3) walked Cabrera leading off and Jose Bautista doubled him to third.

Dioner Navarro, who had three hits, followed with a grounder to McCann, an All-Star catcher playing first base this week because of Mark Teixeira’s strained back. McCann took a step in, checked the runners, but allowed Navarro to get by him and reach on a fielder’s choice that loaded the bases.

“It was a such a strange play,” Navarro said. “We caught a break right there.”

Kelley struck out Tolleson, and Johnson was jammed by left-hander Matt Thornton as the ball blooped to the right side. Second baseman Brian Roberts reacted slowly, and the ball landed on the grass in front of him, with McCann and Thornton not far away. All runners were safe, and Toronto led 3-2.

“When you lose 17 in a row, you deserve something like that,” Gibbons said.

Johnson at first thought the ball might be caught or even called an infield fly.

“One of the softest hits I’ve ever got,” he said. “There was three guys converging on it, so I couldn’t really figure out what was going on.”

Roberts didn’t think he had a chance to grab it.

“Maybe it’s a play I’m supposed to make, but it didn’t happen,” he said. “Bounces don’t always go your way. One guy does everything right and one guy does everything kind of wrong, and the result goes in favor of the one that does everything wrong.”

Johnson made it 6-2 with a ninth-inning drive off Jeff Francis over the short porch in right, his first homer since hitting three for the Chicago White Sox at Cleveland on Oct. 3, 2012.

Toronto reliever Casey Janssen allowed Carlos Beltran’s two-run homer in the ninth.

Hutchison stopped a three-start skid to win for the first time since July 1. He gave up two runs, five hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings with seven strikeouts.

Aaron Loup walked a pair of batters with two outs in the eighth before throwing a called third strike past Brett Gardner with on a two-seam fastball with a full count. Casey Janssen allowed Carlos Beltran’s two-run homer in the ninth.

“We needed a win — especially against these guys and especially here,” Loup said. “It seems like everything was bouncing against them today, so it ended up working out for us.”

NOTES: Gibbons said All-Star 1B Edwin Encarnacion, on the DL since straining his right quadriceps July 5, had a setback during his rehabilitation in Florida when he felt tightness while swinging a bat. … Johnson also famously saved Tampa Bay on the final night of the 2011 regular season with a tying two-run, two-strike, ninth-inning homer off the Yankees’ Cory Wade. … Both teams were warned in the first inning by plate umpire Alan Porter after Capuano hit Bautista in the ribs and Hutchison hit Beltran above the elbow. … New York lost for just the second time in eight games since the All-Star break.

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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