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McCann, Yanks hand Jays 15th loss in row in Bronx

By WTOP Staff

RICK FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian McCann has been helping the New York Yankees win games lately, even if his hitting stats haven’t shown it.

He’s got some numbers to point to now, after he homered, tripled and drove in five runs to send the Yankees past the first-place Toronto Blue Jays 7-3 on Wednesday night.

“It was about time I chipped it in, and tonight was a good night to do that,” McCann said. “It was just nice to contribute — on the offensive side for a change.”

McCann hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fourth and added a bases-loaded triple in the seventh to help the Yankees beat Mark Buehrle for the ninth straight time and hand the Blue Jays their 15th loss in a row in the Bronx.

“I gave up a flyball to right field that’s a two-run homer and we lose the game,” Buehrle said. “Same thing as yesterday — a little 318-foot flyball that ends up going out. It’s frustrating when you come out and battle, tonight and last night, and pretty much it’s two losses on that short porch in right field.”

Rookie Chase Whitley (3-0) remained unbeaten in seven starts since making his big league debut this season.

“We had never seen him as a starter,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “So our expectations have changed a lot.”

Buehrle (10-4) was trying to tie Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka for the most wins in the majors. He gave up three runs and six hits in six innings and lost his third straight start overall.

Buehrle is 1-11 lifetime against the Yankees, with his lone win coming in 2004 while with the Chicago White Sox.

McCann tied his career high with five RBIs. Toronto’s Jose Bautista had an RBI double in the eighth for his 1,000th career hit.

The Yankees have taken the first two in a three-game series against Toronto.

McCann’s third big league triple, and first since 2009 as an All-Star catcher with Atlanta, came off left-hander Brett Cecil, who had been brought in to face pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki with the Blue Jays down 3-2 in the seventh.

Cecil walked Suzuki with the bases loaded to force in a run before McCann put the game safely out of reach.

Cecil said after the game that he would be going on the disabled list due to his nagging left groin injury.

McCann was hitting .174 for June before his homer, which was measured at 348 feet — not far enough to clear most fences in the majors.

“We really believe in him as an offensive force and he showed it tonight. A couple tough lefties he’s facing and he drives in five,” Girardi said. “He’s done a great job behind home plate, he’s never taken it behind home plate.”

McCann helped the Yankees respond after the Blue Jays took a 2-1 lead on two-out RBI singles by Colby Rasmus and Dioner Navarro in the top half.

Alfonso Soriano’s first-inning single put the Yankees on the board.

Whitley gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. He walked Melky Cabrera in the fifth, ending his streak of starts without a walk at three. His last walk was May 26 against the Cardinals.

NOTES: Derek Jeter saw six pitches in his first four at-bats, going 0 for 4 before he popped up a bunt attempt in the seventh. He hit a double off the wall in the eighth, giving him 533, one behind Lou Gehrig as the Yankees leader. . Brett Gardner singled his first four times for the Yankees before a lineout in the eighth. . McCann was the first Yankees catcher to have a homer, a triple and five RBIs since Elston Howard on Aug. 19, 1962. … Toronto 3B Brett Lawrie was hit in back of the left hand by a pitch in the fourth inning replaced by Steve Tolleson in the bottom of the fifth. Lawrie said he “should be able to go” Thursday. … The series ends Thursday night, with Yankees RHP David Phelps (2-4) set to face righty Drew Hutchison (5-4). … The Yankees’ longest home winning streak vs. any team was 19 in a row over Cleveland from June 1960 to April 1962, the team said in citing the Elias Sports Bureau. … Toronto’s Melky Cabrera extended his streak of games with a hit against his former team to 18 with a first-inning single.

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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