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Avila hits 2-run HR in 8th, Tigers top Indians

By WTOP Staff

DETROIT (AP) — Alex Avila has had a tough season at the plate and Torii Hunter has had a tough season in the field.

However, Avila hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth and Hunter made an outstanding defensive play to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians 5-4 Saturday night to retain their slim lead in the AL Central.

The Tigers remained a half-game ahead of Kansas City, which topped Boston 7-1.

Avila sent a full-count pitch from reliever Bryan Shaw (5-4) into the right-field stands for his 11th home run.

“It was up enough to get a good swing on it,” said Avila, who is hitting .222 with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs.

He hit a slider that got too much of the plate.

“Just a bad pitch . bad location,” said Shaw, who leads the American League with 73 appearances this season.

Hunter, Detroit’s right fielder, saved two runs in the top of eighth with a two-out, diving catch of Yan Gomes’ short fly ball with runners on second and third.

“Just a little bleeder off the end of the bat, just tried to do everything I could right there to get under that ball,” Hunter said. “It was sinking pretty fast but I just said, ‘Feet don’t fail me now.'”

Hunter was a perennial gold glove center fielder in his younger days, but this season — at age 39 — ranks at the bottom of AL right fielders in several defensive statistical rankings.

“Torii Hunter catches that ball, saves two runs. A lot more goes into it than just one pitch,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.

Victor Martinez hit his career-best 31st home run for Detroit.

Joba Chamberlain (2-5) pitched an inning of scoreless relief and Joe Nathan worked the ninth for his 31st save.

Michael Brantley homered for Cleveland.

Mike Aviles’ two-out, two-run double into the right-field corner in the fifth gave Cleveland a 4-3 lead.

Brantley it a two-run homer in the first against Kyle Lobstein, connecting on the 10th pitch of the at-bats. Brantley has 19 home runs overall this season, and is batting .400 (30 for 75) against Detroit this season with three home runs and 15 RBIs.

The Tigers tied it at 2 in the third on Ian Kinsler’s RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Hunter.

Martinez hit a solo homer in the fourth off Danny Salazar.

INSTANT REPLAY REVERSAL

Ausmus won an instant replay challenge in the top of the eighth. J.B. Shuck was originally ruled safe at first on an infield single to shortstop Andrew Romine. But after a 39-second review, the ruling on the field was overturned.

VICTOR MARTINEZ HITS INDIANS

Victor Martinez is hitting .343 (23 for 67) this season with seven home runs and 15 RBIs against Cleveland, one of his former teams, and .362 (85 for 236) with 12 homers and 54 RBIs against the Indians in his career.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: Ryan Raburn started in right field but left after the third because of a hyperextended left knee. Francona said he would see how Raburn feels on Sunday morning.

Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez, on the disabled list with a strained right pectoral, played long toss from a distance of 120 feet before the game and said he felt “very good”. Manager Brad Ausmus said if Sanchez doesn’t have a setback, he will long toss again on Sunday and throw off the mound in the bullpen on Monday.

UP NEXT

The wrapup of the three-game weekend series Sunday matches Tigers RHP Justin Verlander (13-12, 4.82) against Trevor Bauer (5-8, 4.12). Verlander is 3-1 in his last four starts despite a 5.11 ERA.

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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