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Pujols’ 9th-inning 2B lifts Angels over Twins 8-5

By WTOP Staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Albert Pujols’ batting averages and home run totals aren’t as gaudy as they used to be. He’s still helping his team win games, though, and that’s just fine with him.

Pujols homered, hit a tie-breaking double in the ninth and reached a couple of career milestones to lead the Los Angeles Angels over Minnesota 8-5 on Saturday night for their third straight win over the Twins.

The 34-year-old slugger’s go-ahead double was his 2,500th hit, placing him 98th all-time and fifth among active players. He hit a solo homer in the third off Phil Hughes for a 3-2 lead, scoring his 1,500th run on his 25th home run this season.

“It was just a great accomplishment, but at the same time it’s just something I don’t get caught up in,” Pujols said. “My job is to help our ball club to win and it was pretty special because I was able to do that tonight.”

After 10 stellar seasons in St. Louis, Pujols has yet to hit .300 for a season in three years with the Angels. And he’s certainly not close to the 40-plus homerun pace he kept during some of his seasons with the Cardinals. But his .274 batting average is still among the team’s best, and his 87 RBIs are second only to Mike Trout’s 100.

“You hear Mike Trout a lot, you hear Miguel Cabrera a lot, but he’s quietly been doing it,” Howie Kendrick said of Pujols. “He’s a big piece of our team, he’s been driving in runs for us. And that’s going to be something that we’re going to need down the stretch, is his experience.”

With the score 5-all in the ninth and two on, Pujols doubled to deep left off Jared Burton (2-5) and scored on Kendrick’s single against Anthony Swarzak.

“Albert got one up and did what he’s done 1,000 times in this game and he got a big hit for them,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Joe Smith (7-2) pitched a one-hit eighth and Huston Street finished for his 37th save in 40 chances.

After one-out singles by Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmalee, Brian Dozier grounded into a game-ending 3-6-1 double play. Gardenhire challenged the call by first base umpire John Tumpane, and after a delay of about 1 minute, 20 seconds, the call was upheld.

Eduardo Escobar and Chris Parmelee homered for Minnesota, which led 5-3 after seven innings.

The Angeles tied the score in the eighth against Casey Fien when Pujols singled, Kendrick tripled and Erick Aybar hit a sacrifice fly.

Hughes allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, walked none and struck out eight. With 165 strikeouts, he tied his career best with the New York Yankees in 2012.

“It’s always tough,” Hughes said. “Look for those three facets of the game every time out: good start, bullpen to step up and score a few runs. Unfortunately for us the last few games here, one or two of those things hasn’t been there.”

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Angels: LF Josh Hamilton missed his second straight game with a sore shoulder. Hamilton had been expected to return to the lineup, but manager Mike Scioscia said before the game that he was day to day. Scioscia said Hamilton was “feeling better” and LHP Joe Thatcher (ankle) was slated to pitch Saturday for Double-A Arkansas.

Twins: CF Danny Santana left the game with a lower-back injury sustained while trying to throw out David Freese at home in the second. The team said he’s day to day. All-Star closer Glen Perkins also is day to day with neck soreness that started bothering him Thursday night. An MRI Saturday revealed no structural damage or pinched nerves. … OF Jordan Schafer was out of the lineup a night after bruising ribs during a crash into the outfield wall. Assistant GM Rob Antony said Schafer was available to pinch run, if needed.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:

Scioscia on Pujols’ latest career milestones: “It seems like every couple of weeks you’re going to run into a milestone that Albert’s either passing somebody or doing something. It’s good to see his bat come alive. He’s been there every day for us, he’s playing a lot and just a huge hit tonight.”

UP NEXT:

Los Angeles will try to complete the four-game series sweep when it starts LHP C.J. Wilson (10-9) on Sunday, who is 4-0 against the Twins since 2011. LHP Logan Darnell (0-1) will start for Minnesota, which will try to snap an 0-for-6 skid against the Angels this season.

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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