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Young’s 3-run HR in 9th rallies Yankees over Rays

By WTOP Staff

MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The first momentous thing Chris Young did Thursday night was spoil Alex Cobb’s bid for a no-hitter, saving the Yankees some embarrassment.

Then, he gave them a scintillating victory.

Young doubled in the eighth inning for New York’s first hit and launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that rallied the Yankees to a 5-4 victory over the stunned Tampa Bay Rays.

“It feels like you’re floating on a cloud. I don’t even remember it, to be honest with you,” said Young, swarmed by happy teammates and doused with an orange sports drink during his postgame television interview. “All I remember is hitting the ball and being at home plate.”

Pinch-hitter Martin Prado connected for a two-run shot immediately after Cobb was pulled in the eighth, 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.

Young homered off closer Jake McGee with one out to win it. Clinging to slim playoff hopes, the Yankees finished 5-4 on their penultimate homestand to move within four games of Detroit for the second AL wild card with 18 remaining. Three other teams are between them and the Tigers.

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

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.

He was lifted after Young’s opposite-field drive 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.”

Prado, on the bench because of a sore hamstring, homered off Brad Boxberger to trim Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-2.

Moments later, Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch in the left elbow and bent over in obvious pain. Jeter stayed in the game, and X-rays were negative. He said he was fine.

New York got a bigger 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 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.

“It doesn’t appear he will need stitches. His teeth are all there. I still think you have to get his jaw X-rayed,” manager Joe Girardi said, adding that Headley would not travel with the team to Baltimore but could join the Yankees there at some point Friday.

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.

He’s made three starts for the Yankees, all as an injury fill-in during the Tampa Bay series, and finished a triple shy of the cycle Wednesday night.

“He’s done an awful lot. They said he was a talented player who had a rough year this year,” Girardi said. “It’s amazing how things can turn around for a player. … 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.

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

BIG FLY

It was Young’s sixth career game-ending homer and New York’s fourth of the season. His previous one came on Aug. 11, 2011, with Arizona.

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: Manager Joe 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: LF Brett Gardner missed his fifth straight game with an abdominal injury. Girardi said he hopes Gardner might be able to play this weekend. … DH-OF Carlos Beltran (right elbow) sat out for the second straight game.

UP NEXT

Rays: RHP Nathan Karns looks for his first major league win when he makes his Tampa Bay debut Friday night in Toronto. Karns made three starts for Washington last year.

Yankees: RHP Brandon McCarthy (6-4, 2.79 ERA) and rookie RHP Bryan Mitchell will be the starters Friday when the Yankees begin a seven-game road trip with a day-night doubleheader at first-place Baltimore. Mitchell has pitched in one big league game, out of the bullpen on Aug. 10, but was primarily a starter in the minors.

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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