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Hellickson’s fielding costly as Jays beat Rays 6-3

By WTOP Staff

IAN HARRISON
Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Tampa Bay pitcher Jeremy Hellickson takes pride in fielding his position.

But a pair of plays the 2012 Gold Glove winner couldn’t convert cost him big time against the Blue Jays.

Adam Lind hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the seventh inning, Edwin Encarnacion also went deep and Toronto beat the Rays 6-3 on Saturday.

Toronto erased a 2-0 deficit with a three-run third against Hellickson.

“That was an inning we can’t let get away from us defensively and we did,” manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s what got them back in the ballgame.”

Ryan Goins, who reached on a wild third strike to begin the inning, came around to score when Hellickson made an errant throw on a bunt by Jose Reyes. A second run scored when Jose Bautista singled off Hellickson’s glove.

“That was pretty embarrassing,” Hellickson said. “Those plays have got to be made.”

Hellickson allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in six innings, matching a season high with eight strikeouts. Hellickson also struck out eight in an Aug. 23 game at Toronto.

Evan Longoria tied it at 3 when he led off the sixth inning with his 21st home run, but Toronto reclaimed the lead against Brad Boxberger (5-2) in the seventh when Bautista walked and Lind homered for the first time since June 23, snapping a career-long 36-game drought.

“We put it the hands of a guy who’s been one of our best in Box,” Longoria said, “and he just made a mistake pitch and Lind capitalized.”

Encarnacion followed Lind’s blast by driving the first pitch he saw from Steve Geltz into the second deck in left, the eighth time this season the Blue Jays have hit back-to-back home runs.

R.A. Dickey (13-12) allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision as the Blue Jays improved to 8-3 in September. Toronto came in four games out in the AL wild-card race.

Blue Jays starters have worked six innings or more in 19 consecutive game. That matches the longest such streak in team history, first set from May 23 to June 12, 1998.

“The rotation is on some kind of roll,” manager John Gibbons said.

Brett Cecil worked the eighth and Casey Janssen finished for his 23rd save in 28 chances as the Blue Jays won for the fifth time in seven meetings with the Rays.

Rays outfielder Matt Joyce was ejected by home plate umpire Paul Nauert for arguing after he struck out in the ninth.

PEPPER PLAY

A fan behind Tampa Bay’s dugout threw a pepper at Rays SS Yunel Escobar as he left the field. Escobar, who was reprimanded for writing a slur on his eye black while playing for Toronto in 2012, declined to comment. Police said they were attempting to identify the fan using video.

WEB GEM

Two-time Gold Glove winner Longoria made a diving stop on Danny Valencia’s grounder down the third base line to begin the second and, from foul territory, made a one-hop throw from one knee to get the out at first. “I thought it was a double,” Maddon said. “It was past him when he made the play. Great play, great throw.”

DURHAM FACES DECIDER

Tampa Bay’s Triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, were a strike away from claiming their second straight Governor’s Cup title Friday night, but gave up a tying hit to Pawtucket’s Rusney Castillo, the recent $72 million signing by Boston. Durham, who lost 4-2 in 13 innings, hosts Pawtucket in the decisive Game 5 on Saturday night.

UP NEXT

Rays right-hander Chris Archer (9-8) faces Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle (12-9) in Sunday’s series finale. Buehrle, who’s 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five starts against the Rays this season, was bumped up a day to face Tampa Bay, with rookie Marcus Stroman pushed back for extra rest. Archer will face Toronto for the sixth time in 2014.

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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