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White Sox fall to Indians in 10 innings

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago White Sox will miss the postseason for the sixth year in a row.

Left-hander Chris Sale wants their fans to know that no one on the team is happy about it.

“There isn’t a single player in here that isn’t playing their hardest,” the three-time American League All-Star said. “Everyone on this team is doing their best every game, which is how it should be.

“This is major league baseball. If you can’t get excited when you step out there, then it’s not for you.”

The White Sox fell Friday night, losing 2-1 in 10 innings to the Cleveland Indians.

Pinch-hitter David Murphy’s bases-loaded single up the middle off reliever Ronald Belisario scored Chris Dickerson for the walkoff win.

Right-hander Maikel Cleto (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing a leadoff triple to Yan Gomes.

The White Sox left 11 men on base and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, scoring their lone run on Alexei Ramirez’s homer in the third.

“We had quite a few opportunities on offense, but didn’t cash in any of them,” said Chicago manager Robin Ventura, whose team is 15½ games behind first-place Kansas City in the AL Central with 22 to play. “You have to do that against this team because their pitching is so good.”

Sale entered the game with 22 straight innings without allowing an earned run on the road, but it was broken in the first when Carlos Santana’s RBI single drove home Michael Brantley.

It was the only run the Indians scored off the White Sox ace, who allowed five hits and struck out five in six strong innings. Sale lowered his AL-leading ERA to 2.09, but has only won once in his past seven starts.

“Chris was real good, but he had a high (98) pitch count because they fought off a lot of foul balls like they usually do against him,” Ventura said. “You don’t want to run him out there for 127 pitches, give or take. He’s fine, but we’re just being very careful with him.”

Ramirez exited the game in the fifth after being hit by a pitch squarely on the left foot. The throw from Cleveland left-hander T.J. House caused him to fall to the grass in pain, but it was diagnosed as a bone bruise. He is listed day to day.

Chicago designated hitter Jose Abreu went 2 for 4, extending his hitting streak to 14 games. The Cuban rookie is batting .510 during the run with two homers and 10 RBIs.

WHO’S ON FIRST

White Sox 1B Dayan Viciedo made his first start of the season at the position, but Ventura said he could see more time there in 2015 backing up Abreu. “That is a possibility, but for right now, it’s just an opportunity for him to be out there,” he said. Viciedo has 79 starts in right field, 37 in left field, and two at designated hitter.

SWITCHAROO

Ventura has shuffled his rotation, bumping RHP Hector Noesi to Monday against Oakland and inserting RHP Scott Carroll as the starter Sunday in Cleveland. LHP John Danks will pitch Tuesday, while Sale is tentatively scheduled to go Wednesday against the Athletics. “I’m here to pitch whenever they tell me to,” Sale said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox 1B Paul Konerko (left hand fracture) is out indefinitely after being injured Tuesday in a collision with Twins SS Danny Santana. Konerko will retire at the end of the season, but said he would “do everything I can to get back for a couple of games before it all ends.”

UP NEXT

White Sox LHP Jose Quintana (7-10) takes on Indians RHP Corey Kluber (13-9) in the second game of the three-game series Saturday. Quintana, who will make his team-high 29th start of the season, is 3-0 with a 3.44 ERA in his career against Cleveland.

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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