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Tigers lead division after 7-2 win over Indians

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Alex Avila chased a popup back behind the plate, and with his momentum carrying him toward the crowd, he had little choice but to hope the screen would hold his 5-foot-11, 210-pound frame.

“Not exactly something you plan,” the Detroit catcher said. “I’m not the lightest guy. You never know.”

Avila went leaping into the screen while catching that foul pop, and the Tigers jumped back into first place Friday night with a 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians. J.D. Martinez homered, tripled and drove in four runs, and David Price pitched into the eighth inning to help Detroit move a half-game ahead of Kansas City atop the division.

The Royals lost 4-2 to Boston, giving Detroit sole possession of first place for the first time since the morning of Aug. 11.

Martinez broke a 1-all tie in the fourth with a two-run homer, and then drove in two more runs with his triple in the seventh. Price (14-11) allowed a home run to Ryan Raburn in the second but kept Cleveland off the scoreboard after that.

If the Tigers win the division they can thank Martinez, who has 21 home runs. He had never hit more than 11 in a season when Detroit signed him to a minor league deal in March.

“He’s certainly been a huge find for Detroit,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He started the season in Triple-A, and now he’s hitting fifth for them. Having him makes getting through Miggy (Cabrera) and Victor (Martinez) a whole lot harder, and that’s huge for them.”

Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco (7-5) allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings. The Indians are four games out in the race for the second American League wild card.

Avila made the defensive play of the night when Mike Aviles hit a foul popup behind the plate in the fifth. Avila made the catch while jumping into the screen, which served almost like a trampoline, sagging backward while the Detroit catcher remained mostly upright and bounced off it.

“It was a nice catch,” said Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, a former catcher. “I would have caught it without the jump, but he was nice.”

With Cleveland up 1-0 in the third, Ian Kinsler lined an RBI double to right. J.D. Martinez’s homer made it 3-1 in the fourth.

Victor Martinez added an RBI single in the seventh, and J.D. Martinez followed with a triple to right-center that made it 6-1. Avila added an RBI infield single.

LOOKING LIKE AN ACE

Detroit won for only the fourth time in eight starts by Price, acquired in a blockbuster trade at the July 31 deadline. The left-hander has allowed a couple of big innings since joining the Tigers, but he also has shown plenty of his All-Star form. Price allowed a run and eight hits Friday in 7 2-3 innings, with seven strikeouts and no walks.

“Just staying focused, staying with my process,” Price said. “I know the stuff that I possess out there on the mound is good enough to get teams out, it’s good enough to be dominant. I just want to be able to pitch as deep as possible into the game.”

STREAK HALTED

Carrasco had won four straight decisions since rejoining Cleveland’s rotation Aug. 10 — and he had allowed only three runs in 38 2-3 innings.

Included in that stretch was an unusual outing against the Tigers on Sept. 2, when he allowed 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings while also striking out 10. That ended up being a no-decision.

He struck out five and walked two on Friday.

“I had a good fastball, and I wanted to attack them, but I didn’t make enough pitches,” Carrasco said. “I threw a sinker to (J.D.) Martinez, and it just stayed right in the middle of the plate and he hit it out.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: Aviles doubled in the second, a day after he returned from a nine-day absence due to a concussion. He appeared in both games of a doubleheader against Minnesota on Thursday.

Tigers: Ausmus said LHP Phil Coke (back) is day to day.

UP NEXT

Detroit LHP Kyle Lobstein (1-0) takes the mound Saturday night against Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar (6-7), who pitched his first career shutout when he faced the Tigers on Sept. 3.

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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