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Twins bullpen fails to hold lead for Hughes

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW KRAMMER
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Vying to take the American League lead with his 16th win of the season, Phil Hughes left with a two-run lead after seven innings. The Minnesota Twins’ bullpen couldn’t hold it.

Albert Pujols hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels rallied to beat Minnesota 8-5 on Saturday night.

The Twins have lost the first three games of the weekend series — by a combined five runs — and seven straight against the Angels dating back to July 24, 2013.

“Again, exciting game there in the end,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “Our starter was fantastic. Early in the game he actually looked like he didn’t have his best stuff, but worked his way through it. After the sixth inning, (Hughes) told us, ‘I’m losing it, get somebody ready.’ And his seventh inning was his best inning.”

Hughes was poised to take the league lead in wins, leaving with a 5-3 advantage. However, Casey Fien gave it up in seven pitches in the eighth. Pujols singled to left, Howie Kendrick had an RBI triple and Erick Aybar tied it with a sacrifice fly.

Pujols also homered and his double in the ninth off Jared Burton (2-5) was his 2,500th career hit.

Eduardo Escobar and Chris Parmelee homered for Minnesota.

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

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.

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.

“What a performance against a great hitting team over there,” Gardenhire said of Hughes. “(He) pounded that strike zone and I don’t think he walked anybody; that’s hard to do against a team like that.”

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. Assitant GM Rob Antony said Schafer was available to pinch hit, if needed.

UP NEXT

Los Angeles starts LHP C.J. Wilson (10-9), who is 4-0 against the Twins since 2011. LHP Logan Darnell (0-1) likely will start for Minnesota.

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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