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White Sox can’t hold on, fall to Indians

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago White Sox had no problem taking leads over the Indians on Friday night.

Holding on to them was a different story.

Hector Noesi allowed a two-run homer to Nick Swisher in the fifth inning, completing Cleveland’s third and final comeback in a 7-4 victory.

Chicago scored two runs in the second inning and one in the fourth, only to have the Indians match them in the bottom half of each frame.

Adam Dunn’s solo home run in the fifth gave the White Sox a 4-3 lead, but Noesi (3-7) promptly gave up a two-out RBI single to Lonnie Chisenhall and Swisher’s go-ahead homer that ended his evening.

“Every inning we’d get a little momentum, and they just kept taking it back,” said Chicago manager Robin Ventura, whose team lost its third straight game. “Eventually, they kept on scoring. It was good to take those leads, but you’ve got to be able to hold them at some point.”

The White Sox hitters held up their end of the bargain, scoring four times in six innings against Corey Kluber (9-6), one of the five nominees for the American League All-Star final vote.

Adrian Nieto and Adam Eaton both drove in runs with doubles, while Leury Garcia had an RBI groundout.

Dunn hit his 14th home run of the season. It was his 100th homer with the White Sox and No. 454 in his career, which ranks 35th all-time.

Noesi, though, surrendered six runs and seven hits in just 4 1/3 innings to fall to 7-22 in the majors.

“Every inning, I try to do the best I can for myself and for my team, but sometimes, you can’t help what happens,” said Noesi, who pitched for Seattle and Texas earlier this season. “We’re not perfect, so we make mistakes. Sometimes, one little play can change things.”

The White Sox thought they had escaped the fifth with a 4-3 lead when Asdrubal Cabrera was called out on a stolen base attempt. Indians manager Terry Francona initiated a replay challenge, which showed that shortstop Alexei Ramirez failed to tag Cabrera before he reached second base.

Chisenhall returned to the plate with a 1-2 count and singled home Cabrera, then scored on Swisher’s drive into the trees in center field.

“It was a quick play, and he made a good slide,” Ramirez said through an interpreter. “I didn’t have time to think, I just went for the tag. That’s baseball. You’ve got two teams that want to win, so those things happen.”

Andre Rienzo followed Noesi, allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings, while Eric Surkamp and Daniel Webb combined for two scoreless frames.

Chicago’s final 10 batters were retired in order by Kluber, John Axford, Bryan Shaw, and closer Cody Allen.

“When you have 30-some starts, there are going to be times when it’s a struggle to get through it,” Kluber said. “You have to keep your team in the game. The important thing is we got a win.”

White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham, who is 1 for 30 (.033) over his last seven games, was given the day off. Garcia started in his place and went 0 for 3.

Beckham has been the subject of trade speculation, which Ventura believes is affecting his focus at the plate.

“When you hear trade rumors, it can bother people enough to make it a distraction,” Ventura said. “It seemed like Gordon needed a break.”

NOTES: Dunn has the second-most home runs among active players, trailing Albert Pujols’ 512. … White Sox RHP Matt Lindstrom (left ankle) is making progress, but won’t be activated in the near future, according to Ventura. Lindstrom has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 20. … Chicago’s first-round draft pick, LHP Carlos Rodon, signed a contract before the game that included a bonus of $6,582,000. … White Sox RHP Scott Carroll (3-5) takes on Indians RHP Zach McAllister (3-4) in the second game of the three-game series Saturday.

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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