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Indians edge White Sox 2-1 in 10 innings

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — David Murphy’s return helped give the Cleveland Indians a much-needed win.

Murphy, activated from the disabled list before the game, drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded, pinch-hit single in the 10th inning and the Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Friday night.

Murphy, who pulled a right oblique muscle on Aug. 9, lined a 1-2 pitch to center off Ronald Belisario that landed in front of center fielder Adam Eaton to score pinch-runner Chris Dickerson and give the Indians their 11th walkoff win of the season.

Murphy had no opportunity to ease his way back into action after missing nearly a month. His first at-bat came with the game on the line and his team battling to stay in the playoff race.

“You never figure that you’d be in that situation, but those are the most fun in baseball,” he said.

The Indians, coming off a series in which they lost three of four against Detroit, are six games behind Kansas City in the AL Central. Cleveland is also a factor in the crowded wild-card race.

“Every game is the most important game of the year,” Murphy said. “It would be nice to be in a little better spot, but we’re still in striking distance. We need to go out and win every single day.”

Murphy was mobbed his teammates, but made sure to protect his rib area.

“After I hit first, I thought, ‘oh no,’ but I think they knew to take it easy on me,” he said.

Yan Gomes started the inning with a triple to left off Maikel Cleto (0-1). Michael Taylor crashed into the wall trying to make the catch and the ball rolled several feet away.

Shortstop Leury Garcia finally retrieved the ball and threw it in as Gomes slid into third.

“The desire to want to be at third is what was big,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He’s not the fastest guy in the world, but right out of the box he was going for it.”

Michael Bourn was intentionally walked before Eric Surkamp issued an intentional walk to Lonnie Chisenhall that loaded the bases. Surkamp battled back from a 3-1 count to strike out Jason Kipnis before Murphy, batting for Roberto Perez, delivered.

C.C. Lee (1-1) worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th.

Chicago ace Chris Sale allowed one run in six innings, lowering his league-best ERA to 2.09.

Indians rookie T.J. House matched Sale, giving up one run and striking out seven in seven innings.

Carlos Santana’s RBI single in the first gave Cleveland the lead, but Alexei Ramirez’s third-inning homer tied the game.

Ramirez left the game after being hit on the left foot by a pitch from House in the fifth. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Ramirez has a bone bruise and it’s possible he could play Saturday.

Ventura expects first baseman Paul Konerko (broken bone in his left hand) to play again this season. The 18-year veteran could resume baseball activities in a week.

LINEUP SHUFFLE

Bourn and Kipnis — both left-handed hitters — weren’t in the lineup. Bourn is hitless with three strikeouts in five at-bats against Sale while Kipnis is 4 for 14 versus the ace lefty.

NEW GUY

The Indians acquired OF J.B. Shuck from the Los Angeles Angels on Friday for cash considerations. Shuck, a left-handed hitter, batted .167 in 22 games this season before the Angels designated him for assignment Tuesday. He hit .293 in 129 games last season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: Murphy came off the 15-day DL on Friday afternoon. He had one hit in six at-bats in two rehab games at Triple-A Columbus on a rehab assignment.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (13-9) has lost his past three starts. He ranks third in the AL with 215 strikeouts and 195 1-3 innings.

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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