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Sloppy White Sox lose 7-1 to Verlander, Tigers

By WTOP Staff

JOHN JACKSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Before Friday night’s game, Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura raved about Jose Abreu’s improvement at first base.

Abreu’s defense was a big factor — but not in the positive way Ventura talked about.

Abreu had two errors in Detroit’s five-run fourth inning, and Justin Verlander pitched seven effective innings in the Tigers’ 7-1 victory.

“Yeah, that was a jinx,” Ventura said of his pregame praise. “As soon as you talk about it, something like that is gonna happen.”

The contending Tigers won for the fifth time in six games. Chicago has lost nine of 10.

Verlander (12-11) matched his season high with eight strikeouts. He allowed one run and nine hits while improving to 14-4 with a 2.94 ERA in his last 19 starts against Chicago.

J.D. Martinez had a double and two singles for Detroit. The Tigers got 13 hits, including five doubles.

Scott Carroll (5-9) took the loss but didn’t get much support in the field. He allowed seven runs, three earned, and 10 hits in five-plus innings.

Abreu had three hits before leaving the game after the seventh, but his fielding problems were more of a factor.

With the Tigers up 2-1, Victor Martinez led off the fourth with a grounder that handcuffed Abreu for an error, and J.D. Martinez followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Nick Castellanos made it 3-1 with an RBI groundout and Alex Avila then doubled home another run for a 4-1 edge.

After Eugenio Suarez singled to put runners on the corners, Ezequiel Carrera,hit a high bouncer to first base. Abreu, perhaps checking to see if he had a play at the plate, took his eye off the ball and it glanced off his glove for another error as Avila scored.

That should have ended the inning, but Ian Kinsler and Torii Hunter each drove in a run to make it 7-1.

“They gave us the advantage of a couple extra outs, and we took advantage of it,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.

Verlander made a wild pickoff throw in the first that set up a sacrifice fly by Adam Dunn. The White Sox loaded the bases, but Verlander struck out Tyler Flowers on a 95 mph fastball and seemed to get stronger as the game progressed.

“He works the zone very well, top to bottom, left to right and in and out,” Chicago’s Adam Eaton said. “He did that tonight, especially later in the game. In the first inning, we had a few on and we didn’t do too much with it. He shut us down from there.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Joakim Soria resumed his throwing program before the game, when he threw off flat ground for the third time this week. The hope is that his strained left oblique will not require a second stint on the disabled list, but there is no timetable for his return.

White Sox: OF Moises Sierra went hitless in four at-bats on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. He is on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left oblique.

UP NEXT

The Tigers will send RHP Max Scherzer (15-4, 3.13 ERA) to the mound against LHP Chris Sale (10-3, 2.03 ERA) in the opener of a split doubleheader on Saturday. Tigers LHP Kyle Ryan and White Sox RHP Chris Bassitt are scheduled to make their major league debuts in the nightcap.

LITTLE BIG MEN

Before the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the White Sox plan to honor Chicago-based Jackie Robinson West for winning the national championship in the Little League World Series. The White Sox are encouraging fans to wear gold to pay tribute to the team.

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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