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Twins rally four times, lose to Angels 7-6 in 10

By WTOP Staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The last-place Twins came from behind four times against the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels. Minnesota still finished one comeback short.

The Twins’ Trevor Plouffe tied the score with a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning, before Erick Aybar’s sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th to give the Angels a 7-6 victory Friday night.

“We came up short again, but the boys are giving it everything they have. Everybody’s out there trying,” said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, who used a season-high nine pitchers, including four in the eighth inning as the Angels scored three runs to take a 6-4 lead.

Minnesota also trailed 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 earlier in the game.

The Twins were down to their final out against closer Huston Street (1-1) in the ninth, but Plouffe hit the ball just beyond the reach of a hard-charging Mike Trout in left-center to drive in two runs to tie the score.

Kole Calhoun singled to start the 10th, and Jared Burton (2-4) walked two in a row with one out to load the bases. Oswaldo Arcia caught Aybar’s fly ball and made a strong throw from right field, but it was a bit off line and not in time for catcher Josmil Pinto to pivot and tag the speedy Calhoun.

Though the Twins have lost 10 of their last 13, Plouffe said the season has been a positive step for a franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs in four years.

“It’s frustrating. We’re here to win the AL Central — that’s our goal every year,” Plouffe said. “We haven’t been able to do that the past four years. We’re going in the right direction though.”

Matt Shoemaker lasted only four innings after winning each of his last four starts and saw his scoreless streak end at 23 2-3 innings on a sacrifice fly by Kennys Vargas. The right-hander’s run landed as the second-longest by an Angels rookie, behind Bob Lee (27) in 1964.

The American League Pitcher and Rookie of the Month for August, Shoemaker stumbled in his first September start. He needed 90 pitches to finish those four innings and surrendered a leadoff home run to Arcia in the second, the first long ball off the dark-bearded rookie in four starts. Shoemaker allowed six hits and three runs.

Aaron Hicks hit RBI singles after doubles by Pinto in the fourth and sixth innings before Plouffe’s big hit forced extra innings.

MANAGER PRAISES NOLASCO

Ricky Nolasco made another unremarkable start for the Twins, allowing eight hits and three runs over five innings. Two errors and a couple other misplays didn’t help matters for the Twins’ highest-paid pitcher, but his manager had nothing but praise for him after the 4 1/2-hour game.

“Ricky Nolasco was good — a long time ago,” Gardenhire said. “He ended up throwing a lot of pitches and we didn’t make a few plays behind him, but I thought the ball was coming out of his hand good.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins closer Glen Perkins was unavailable to pitch Friday due to a sore neck, and OF Jordan Schafer suffered bruised ribs when he crashed into the fence while making a catch in the ninth inning. Both players are considered day-to-day.

Angels LF Josh Hamilton, given a rest for his sore right shoulder after receiving a shot of cortisone in the joint the night before, was feeling better and expected in the lineup for the rest of the weekend.

UP NEXT

Converted reliever Cory Rasmus starts Saturday for the Angels after he pitched three scoreless innings in his first career start last weekend, filling the spot vacated in the rotation by the injury to Garrett Richards.

Twins ace Phil Hughes seeks his AL-leading 16th victory, still with a chance to win 20 games in his first season with the team. He needs a victory in each of his remaining scheduled starts to do so. The last 20-game winner for the Twins was Johan Santana in 2004.

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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