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Cobb loses no-hit bid late, Rays stunned by Yanks

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Cobb was five outs from a Yankee Stadium feat that’s been 62 years in the making.

And still counting.

Chris Young broke up Cobb’s no-hit bid in the eighth inning and launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that rallied the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory Thursday night over the stunned Tampa Bay Rays.

Young’s one-out double ended Cobb’s attempt to become the first visiting pitcher to throw a no-hitter at Yankee Stadium since Virgil Trucks did it for the Detroit Tigers in 1952. Six pitchers combined on a no-hitter for the Houston Astros in the Bronx on June 11, 2003.

“Wow. I don’t think it’s actually set in yet,” Cobb said.

Pinch-hitter Martin Prado, on the bench because of a sore hamstring, connected for a two-run shot off Brad Boxberger in the eighth immediately after Cobb was pulled.

Young then homered off closer Jake McGee with one out to win it, and the Yankees took two of three in the series by climbing out of a four-run hole for the second consecutive night — the only times they’ve done that all season.

“Anyone that has seen the Rays all year would take Boxy in the eighth under those circumstances and Jake in the ninth,” manager Joe Maddon said. “It just didn’t play out tonight.”

Yunel Escobar homered twice and drove in four runs for Tampa Bay.

Cobb was lifted after Young’s opposite-field double up the right-center alley on his 102nd pitch. The right-hander with the funky windup, on quite a roll lately, received a warm hand from a crowd of 32,627 that included former Yankees great Mariano Rivera.

“It was tough to break it up at that point,” said Cobb, who was a little surprised to be taken out. “At that point I was still in game mode. I looked up at the video board and saw that it was a pretty decent pitch, so I wasn’t too upset about it.”

New York got a scare in the ninth when Chase Headley was struck on the chin by a 98 mph fastball from McGee (4-2). Headley stayed down on his back for a couple of minutes, covering his mouth with his hand, as he was attended to by two trainers.

With blood trickling down his chin, Headley sat up and walked off the field with both trainers. He was taken to a hospital for further evaluation and will have a facial X-ray, but manager Joe Girardi said the third baseman still had all his teeth and “it doesn’t appear he will need stitches.”

“I rarely hit a batter, so for me it’s a little different when I hit somebody, especially up in the face area,” McGee said. “It’s really hard to get your focus back, but I felt like I got my focus back and just made a couple bad pitches after that.”

Ichiro Suzuki followed with a double and Young, released last month by the crosstown Mets after a season-long slump, drove an 0-1 pitch to left field for his latest big hit in pinstripes this week.

“It’s amazing how things can turn around for a player,” Girardi said. “That’s a huge hit for us.”

Shawn Kelley (3-5) got two outs for the win.

Cobb hasn’t yielded more than two runs in any of his past 12 starts, a club record and the longest active streak in the majors.

“Cobb was outstanding. He was as good as I’ve seen him,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter said.

Escobar connected twice off New York starter Michael Pineda, including a three-run shot, for the first multihomer game of his career.

TOUGH ASSIGNMENT

Cobb is 5-1 with a 1.69 ERA in nine starts against the Yankees.

RAY MATTER

The Yankees said Cobb’s gem was the deepest a Tampa Bay pitcher has gone without allowing a hit since Matt Garza pitched the team’s only no-hitter against Detroit on July 26, 2010, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Maddon said there was nothing new to report on ailing CF Desmond Jennings (sore left knee), who might miss the rest of the season. Jennings sat out his 13th consecutive game.

Yankees: Jeter was hit by a pitch on his left elbow in the eighth and bent over in pain. He stayed in the game, and X-rays were negative. His elbow was wrapped afterward, but he said he was fine. … LF Brett Gardner missed his fifth straight game with an abdominal injury. … DH-OF Carlos Beltran (right elbow) sat out for the second consecutive night.

COSTUME DESIGN

In a good-natured hazing ritual, Rays rookies were dressed up in Super Mario Bros. outfits as they prepared to leave the clubhouse after the game. They gathered for group photos taken by veteran teammates.

UP NEXT

RHP Nathan Karns looks for his first major league win when he makes his Tampa Bay debut Friday night in Toronto. Karns, who made three starts for Washington last year, struck out 12 over seven innings of three-hit ball for Triple-A Durham in the International League playoffs last Saturday against Columbus.

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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