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Bad first inning does in Hutchinson, Blue Jays

By WTOP Staff

SARAH TROTTO
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Drew Hutchinson wanted to return to the mound after he pitched an ugly first inning.

After the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander recorded two outs, he allowed six runs on a Conor Gillaspie grand slam and a Jordan Danks’ two-run home run.

The Blue Jays warmed up a reliever but wound up keeping Hutchinson in the game. He saved the bullpen by limiting the Chicago White Sox to one run in the next six innings, but Toronto still lost 7-5 on Sunday.

“He settled in and did a heck of a job, kind of a glimpse of what the kid can become and what he’s done,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said about Hutchinson. “He gutted it out and gave us a chance to win.

“We had many opportunities. We just couldn’t get that big hit.”

Hutchinson (8-11) held the White Sox to four hits in his final six innings. Chicago scored its seventh run on a Danks sacrifice fly.

Hutchinson has given up six or more runs in four of his last seven starts.

“I just didn’t make good pitches. That’s the bottom line,” Hutchinson said. “I was a little up in the zone. I had two outs, and I had two strikes. I had a good chance to get through the (first) inning with no runs and I gave up six and put us in a big hole.”

After the rocky first inning, Hutchinson said he did a better job of driving the ball down, throwing his sinker and getting groundballs.

Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, his 27th this season and first since returning from the disabled list on Friday. The Blue Jays have lost five of six and 11 of 15 to fall 7 1-2 games behind Baltimore in the AL East and four behind Seattle in the AL wild card race.

Scott Carroll (5-7) allowed five runs in 5 2-3 innings. Jake Petricka earned his ninth save in 12 chances after loading the bases in the ninth.

“I’m really proud of our guys giving me a six-run, five-run cushion,”

Carroll said. “On a lot of days, pitchers wouldn’t get wins the way I pitched.”

Toronto grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when Jose Reyes scored on a play that was overturned by video review. He originally had been called out at the plate on a throw from first baseman Jose Abreu.

Encarnacion golfed his homer just into the left field bullpen in the fifth as Toronto cut it to 6-4. Pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro singled in a run in the sixth to make it 6-5.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Toronto: 1B Dan Johnson began a rehab assignment at Triple-A on Saturday, going 0 for 3 with an RBI. He’s played 13 games with the Blues Jays and went on the DL with a strained left hamstring.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: LHP J.A. Happ (8-7, 4.20) faces Brewers RHP Mike Fiers (2-1, 1.29) on Tuesday at Milwaukee. Fiers had a career-high 14 strikeouts in his last start, his second since his recall from the minors.

White Sox: LHP Chris Sale (10-2, 2.01) will face Baltimore RHP Bud Norris (10-7, 3.75) on Monday in Chicago.

LACK OF TIMELY HITS

The Blue Jays went 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position and left the bases loaded in the ninth Sunday. Toronto has scored an average 2.7 runs in its last nine road games.

“We’ve been beat up a little bit in the staff and certain starts, but we’ve had some of the right guys at the right time,” Gibbons said. “We just couldn’t get to cash in that big one.”

ON A ROLL

Reyes is hitting .405 during his nine-game hitting streak. He went 3 for 5 with a double Sunday.

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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