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Brantley’s HR in 12th gives Indians 4-3 win

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — With a 2-51 record when trailing after eight innings, things looked bleak for the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.

Two dramatic swings changed that in a 4-3 win over Texas.

Michael Brantley hit a leadoff homer in the 12th inning to touch off a celebration at home plate, but a big moment three innings earlier made that possible.

David Murphy’s two-run homer with one out in the ninth off Neftali Feliz tied the game and set the stage for the Indians’ seventh win of the season on a game-ending hit.

“Dramatic moments like that are the best things about baseball,” Murphy said of his ninth-inning blast. “It’s an awesome feeling.”

Brantley, a first-time All-Star this season, belted a 3-2 pitch from rookie Phil Klein (0-1) into Texas’ bullpen in right field, but gave credit to his teammate.

“Without Murph hitting his home run, I don’t get a chance to hit mine,” he said.

The win gave the Indians (56-55) a three-game sweep and moved them over .500 for the first time since July 23 as they try to stay in playoff contention.

“There’s something to be said for keeping on playing,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “There wasn’t a lot to yell about in the game, but our pitching kept us close, and then Murph hit one out of the park.”

Murphy, who played for Texas from 2007-13 before signing with the Indians, batted .480 (12 for 25) with seven RBIs in seven games against his former team. He had an RBI double in the second, and was 4 for 4 with two RBIs Friday.

“It’s fun to play against your friends,” he said. “You like to have some bragging rights.”

Murphy also robbed Chris Gimenez of two hits with a diving grab in the ninth and a catch at the wall in the 12th.

Scott Atchison (5-0), the Indians’ seventh pitcher, retired the final batter in the 12th.

Texas has lost six straight on the road and has dropped 19 of 22 away from home. The Rangers (43-68) have the worst record in baseball.

Yu Darvish allowed one in seven innings, but saw an opportunity for his 11th win go down the drain. The All-Star right-hander held the Indians to four hits and struck out eight.

Trevor Bauer gave up three runs in a career-high 7 1-3 innings for Cleveland.

Chisenhall batted .452 (14 for 31) with five homers and 15 RBIs against the Rangers this season.

QUITE A DAY

Murphy had several reasons to be happy, including the fact his daughter, Madison, celebrated her seventh birthday. “I love a double anytime, but I was kind of mad at myself because I wanted to hit a home run on her birthday,” he said. “It was fun to do that for her. That made it even more special.”

ON THE WAY DOWN

Indians right-hander Zach McAllister was assigned to Triple-A Columbus, two days after being designated for assignment and placed on optional waivers. McAllister went 3-6 with a 5.91 ERA in 14 starts for Cleveland. Right-hander Josh Tomlin will be recalled to start Tuesday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: Left-hander Derek Holland, who has yet to pitch this season because of surgery on his left knee, will make his second minor league rehab start Monday at Triple-A Round Rock. He pitched two scoreless innings for Double-A Frisco on Wednesday.

Indians: Designated hitter Nick Swisher was removed from the game in the ninth inning due to a strained right wrist. Swisher, who was wearing a brace after the game, struck out in all three of his plate appearances. Francona said he would be evaluated Monday.

ON DECK

Rangers: RHP Nick Martinez (1-7) will start the opener of a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox on Monday night. He allowed six runs in 5 2-3 innings against the Yankees in his last start. RHP Hector Noesi (5-8) will start for Chicago.

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (11-6), coming off his first career complete game shutout, will start the opener of a two-game interleague series against Cincinnati at Progressive Field on Monday night. RHP Alfredo Simon (12-6) will start for the Reds.

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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