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House, Indians sweep doubleheader from Twins

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — A long day at the ballpark was well worth it for the Cleveland Indians.

“Doubleheaders are hard to win,” manager Terry Francona said after Cleveland swept Minnesota on Thursday. “It worked out pretty well for us. That’s exactly what we hoped for.”

Another strong performance by Corey Kluber and a two-run homer by Carlos Santana sparked an 8-2 victory in the first game.

Santana homered again and drove in both runs while rookie T.J. House and the bullpen combined on a four-hitter in a 2-0 win in game two.

Cleveland moved closer in the races for both the AL Central title and the wild card. The Indians trail Detroit by 3 1-2 games for the second wild-card spot, and visit the Tigers for a three-game series starting Friday night.

“Right now we’ve got to try to win every night,” Kluber said. “We can’t worry about the other teams because that takes away from our focus. Until we’re eliminated we’ve got a chance.”

Cleveland’s pitchers ruled the day, holding the Twins to 12 hits, striking out 17 and allowing one walk, which came in the ninth inning of game two. As has been the case all season, Kluber (15-9) set the tone. The right-hander allowed two runs and struck out seven in 8 1-3 innings in becoming the Indians’ first 15-game winner since Cliff Lee went 22-3 in 2008.

For one of the few times this season, the offense gave Kluber some cushion. Yan Gomes homered and drove in three runs, Michael Brantley had two RBIs and Cleveland put the game away with a four-run third inning.

“Corey was outstanding,” Francona said. “Once he got the lead he pounded the zone. It seems like he’s always in a one-run game. With all the innings he’s pitched, it seems like every inning he pitches there is no margin of error.”

Kyle Gibson (11-11) lasted only three innings, allowing seven runs and seven hits, including two homers

House (3-3) pitched seven sharp innings in game two. The left-hander held Minnesota to four hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.

Bryan Shaw pitched the eighth and Cody Allen worked the ninth for his 20th save. Allen walked pinch-hitter Joe Mauer, the Twins’ only free pass of the day, but Trevor Plouffe flied out and Kennys Vargas bounced into a double play.

Santana has 27 home runs, matching his career high. His leadoff homer on a 1-2 pitch in the fourth was the only mistake Ricky Nolasco (5-11) made in seven innings.

Santana added an RBI single in the eighth.

Kluber didn’t walk a batter for the second straight outing. He broke his three-game losing streak with a five-hitter in a complete game win over the White Sox on Saturday.

Vargas’ two-out RBI single put Minnesota ahead in the first. Kluber retired the next 10 hitters, a stretch that was broken when Oswaldo Arcia led off the fifth with a single.

Kluber regained control by getting Kurt Suzuki to bounce into a double play that began a stretch when he retired eight in a row.

After winning game one of the series Tuesday, the doubleheader was a lost day for the Twins.

“We couldn’t get anything going,” manager Ron Gardenhire.

CALL HIM ACE

Kluber’s 15 wins put him one victory behind Max Scherzer and Jered Weaver for the AL lead. “He’s been so amazingly consistent, and at a high level — and he’s only going to get better,” Francona said.

LET IT POUR

Wednesday’s rainout was the fifth for the Indians this season, including four at Progressive Field. Cleveland has played three home doubleheaders with Thursday’s ending an 11-game homestand, the longest of the season. The Indians played a makeup game of a June 18 rainout against the Angels on Monday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: Danny Santana, who missed two games with a strained back, started the first game in center field. The rookie strained his back making a throw from the outfield Saturday.

Indians: INF/OF Mike Aviles (concussion) passed the protocol tests and appeared in both games. He entered the opener in the eighth as a pinch-hitter and started the second game at third base. Aviles was injured attempting to make a diving catch in right field on Sept. 1.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (7-4), who came within one out of his first career complete game in his last start, will pitch the opener in Detroit on Friday night.

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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