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Padres waste Ross’ outing in 2-0 loss to Twins

By WTOP Staff

JAY PARIS
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres starter Tyson Ross pitched well enough to win. If only San Diego’s hitters had been able to solve Phil Hughes.

Hughes threw seven shutout innings and Trevor Plouffe homered in the Minnesota Twins’ 2-0 victory over punchless San Diego on Wednesday night.

Ross (5-4) nearly matched Hughes, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings, walking three and striking out eight.

“I’ve been able to get ahead of the hitters,” Ross said.

Now if he only had the tonic to fix the Padres’ hitters. Instead San Diego was shut out for the eighth time, tops in the majors.

Yes, Hughes was fantastic. And yes, this was another version of Groundhog Day for the Padres as they continue to struggle at the plate.

“They’re out there battling,” Ross said of the Padres’ hitters. “Hughes had a good game and I’m sure we’re going to get them next time.”

Chris Parmelee’s sacrifice fly to left in the sixth scored Joe Mauer and Plouffe hit his third home run in the eighth.

Glen Perkins pitched a perfect ninth to collect his 14th save in 16 chances.

Hughes (5-1) came over from the Yankees in the offseason, signing a $24 million, three-year deal. He won his fifth straight decision and didn’t walk a batter for the fifth consecutive start, while striking out seven.

The Padres have lost two straight, scoring three runs in the two-game series against the Twins.

“The game is dominated by pitching right now,” said Chase Headley, who had two hits. “Good pitching beats good hitting and when a guy goes out there and pitches the way some of these guys are capable of you’re going to have these games.”

They just happen more often for the Padres, who are averaging just over three runs per game.

“Whenever you are going through a time like this it seems like the longest and the worst,” Headley said. “I’ve been through some offensive struggles, but this one seems as tough as I’ve experience.”

Ross struck out eight for the third consecutive start, which is one off his season-high.

Mauer walked with one out in the sixth and stole second off Rene Rivera, who threw out three runners attempting to steal in his last start Sunday in Denver. Plouffe then hit a slow chopper to third and beat Headley’s throw, with Mauer moving to third.

Mauer scored on Parmelee’s sacrifice and Plouffe advanced to third on a throwing error by Headley. Ross then walked Kurt Suzuki, but escaped further damage when Jason Kubel flied out.

Ross breezed through the first five innings, allowing two singles and a walk while striking out six.

“He was nasty,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He has a great slider, as advertised, a good changeup and a fastball that jumps on you. You have to respect that fastball so much; he was pretty darn good.”

Early on, Kubel was the only Twin who got into scoring position, after walking and stealing second in the second inning. Kubel was stranded when Danny Santana struck out, his first of four times, and Aaron Hicks grounded out.

The Padres looked poised to tie the game in the sixth when Headley and Yonder Alonso singled with no outs. But Jedd Gyorko and Cameron Maybin grounded out and Will Venable struck out.

The Padres, who had hits in each of the first four innings, threatened in the third with two outs when Seth Smith and Headley had consecutive singles. But Alonso, who was elevated to fourth in the order, flied to center.

Another Padres baserunner reached with two outs when Maybin collected his second hit in the fourth, but Rivera struck out to end the inning.

Smith had three of the Padres’ eight hits.

“We did a poor job of getting guys in scoring position,” Maybin said. “We are all getting tired of it. … It’s frustrating.”

NOTES: Padres manager Bud Black left immediately after Wednesday’s game and will miss Thursday’s against the Cubs to attend daughter Jessie’s graduation from the University of Maryland. Black will return for Friday’s game. . OF Carlos Quentin remains sidelined with a groin injury, but will likely avoid the DL. . With 18 doubles, Plouffe is four doubles shy of last year’s career high. . Ex-Twins 3B Corey Koskie and area scout John Wilson will represent the team at the first-year player draft on June 5 . Twins RHP Kyle Gibson (4-3, 4.20) faces Giants RHP Tim Lincecum (3-3, 4.74) to open a three-game series on Friday. The Padres send LHP Eric Stults (2-4, 4.50) against Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta (0-0, 2.70) on Thursday.

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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