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McCarthy, Yankees rebound in 6-2 win over Royals

By WTOP Staff

JERRY BEACH
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Obtained by the Yankees from Arizona in separate July trades, Brandon McCarthy and Martin Prado are doing their best to keep alive New York’s slim playoff hopes.

McCarthy won for the second time in six starts and Prado had three hits as the Yankees feasted on Kansas City’s bullpen in a 6-2 win Saturday after Royals starter Danny Duffy left because of an injury following his first pitch.

McCarthy, dealt on July 6, allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings with four strikeouts and a walk. He is 6-4 with a 2.87 ERA for the Yankees after going 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 18 starts for the Diamondbacks.

“It’s nice just to contribute,” he said. “I spent the first half of the season being a hindrance on an organization, and that’s something that doesn’t sit well. So to come somewhere where there’s a playoff race going on, and you’re a positive influence on something that’s helping the team win, that’s really all you can ask for.”

Prado, acquired on July 31, played for the first time since straining his left hamstring Tuesday and had three hits, raising his average to .309 with the Yankees. He hit .270 with the Diamondbacks.

Prado’s 10th multihit effort in his last 16 games fueled a rare offensive outburst by the weak-hitting Yankees, who scored as many as six runs for the first time since Aug. 29. A night earlier, a 1-0 loss in the series opener dropped them 4½ games back for the AL’s second wild card.

“Hitting is contagious, I believe,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “It just picks your club up It’s uplifting. The last 20 games, he’s been unbelievable.”

The Yankees scored all their runs in the first five innings off Liam Hendriks and Casey Coleman, called on because of Duffy’s sore left shoulder.

Prado doubled off Hendriks (1-1) with two outs in the first and gave his hamstring a test when he came around on Mark Teixeira’s single.

“I was like, please, just let me get to home plate,'” Prado said.

Prado said he is playing at less than 100 percent but wants to be in the lineup as the Yankees try to avoid missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1992 and ’93.

“I’m trying to be smart,” Prado said. “I want to be in there for my teammates.”

After Alex Gordon’s RBI bloop single tied the score in the third, the Yankees went ahead for good in the bottom half on Jacoby Ellsbury’s run-scoring triple and Derek Jeter’s sacrifice fly.

Chase Headley make it 4-1 in the fourth when he scored from third after Perez overthrew third base for an error on a pickoff attempt. Carlos Beltran doubled in a run in the fifth and scored on a single by pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki.

Mike Moustakas had a sacrifice fly in the seventh, ending McCarthy’s day, but Shawn Kelley, Dellin Betances and David Robertson combined for hitless relief. New York relievers have thrown 11 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief in their last four games with 14 strikeouts and no walks.

“Just a good team game,” McCarthy said.

Kansas City (78-62) remained two games ahead of Detroit in the AL Central, but the Royals were far more concerned with the state of Duffy’s left shoulder. Duffy, who returned in August 2013 following elbow ligament-replacement surgery, entered the day with a 2.44 ERA, third-best in the AL.

“We will send him home tomorrow and get an MRI to see what we are dealing with,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Kansas City scored four runs or fewer for the eighth straight game — including a suspended game against Cleveland on Aug. 31 that will resume on Sept. 22. But the Royals are 4-3 in that span thanks to their pitching.

“We will get a hit here and there, but not really consistent all-around,” Gordon said. “We just need to get more consistent and have some big innings.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Greg Holland was missed his second straight game due to a tight right triceps. “Hopefully a day or two or three recovery and be ready to go,” Yost said. … DH Josh Willingham returned Saturday after missing six games because of a sore back and went 1 for 4.

Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka threw a 34-pitch bullpen session. Girardi said the club needs to see Tanaka pitch in a game this season to know whether he can pitch without surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. … C Francisco Cervelli missed the game because of a migraine. … OF Brett Gardner didn’t play after aggravating an abdominal injury Friday. Girardi said he was questionable at best for Sunday.

UP NEXT

Yankees RHP Shane Greene (4-2) opposes Royals RHP Yordano Ventura (11-9) in the series finale after a pregame ceremony on Derek Jeter Day.

BETANCES MOVING ON UP: Betances threw a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout, his 125th of the season. That’s the second-most in team history for a reliever, three strikeouts ahead of Rich Gossage in 1978 and five shy of Mariano Rivera in 1996.

“Look at the names — one Hall of Famer and one just waiting four more years,” Girardi said. “That’s how dominant he has been this year, and how good he has been.”

THE M&M BOYS: McCarthy credited catcher John Ryan Murphy — whom he’d never thrown to before Saturday — for helping him labor through a 105-pitch effort on a humid 89-degree afternoon.

“Wasn’t really sharp, but I felt like Murphy did a good job getting me through it and making sure we could kind of keep going deeper into the game and make those runs that they gave me early hold up,” McCarthy said. “Just kind of one of those days where you’re working for everything you get. Nothing really comes easy.”

ELLSBURY DOES IT ALL: Ellsbury went 1 for 4 and is hitting .359 with 13 RBIs in his last 18 games.

Ellsbury also saved at least two hits in center: He ran down a potential RBI extra-base hit by Josh Willingham in the gap in the fourth and caught Gordon’s sinking liner in the eighth.

“He’s a tremendous center fielder,” Girardi said. “As good as it gets.”

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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