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Price wins 4th straight start, Rays top Jays 3-0

By WTOP Staff

MARK DIDTLER
Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Not even a stomach virus could derail David Price’s surge.

The All-Star left-hander scattered five hits in eight-plus innings to win his fourth consecutive start and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 on Sunday.

Price (9-7), who had his start pushed back one day due to being ill, struck out five and walked one. He was pulled after giving up a leadoff single in the ninth to Melky Cabrera.

“Everything was working,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “They weren’t getting comfortable swings on him. Really fun to watch.”

Price let the team know Saturday night that he felt good enough to pitch Sunday. He watched Saturday’s game at home on TV.

Because Price pitched on Sunday, he is ineligible to play in the All-Star game Tuesday night in Minnesota. His roster spot was taken by his former teammate, Seattle closer Fernando Rodney.

When asked if he was disappointed about not pitching in the All-Star game, Price said yes and no.

“It’s always fun to be part of an All-Star game,” he said.

The Rays, who have won 11 of 15, got RBI singles from Logan Forsythe and Jose Molina. Jake McGee got three outs for his seventh save.

“There was no let up the day before All-Star break,” Maddon said. “We didn’t mail anything in.”

R.A. Dickey (7-9) gave up two runs and five hits over six innings.

“That’s a perennial All-Star over there,” Dickey said of Price. “You know when you’re pitching against a guy like that you don’t have a lot of margin for error.”

Toronto has not won a road series against Tampa Bay since April 2007, a span of 22 sets.

“Please don’t ask a question about the streak in Tampa,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said as reporters entered his office after the game.

Toronto has lost eight of 10 overall.

Despite their recent struggles, the Blue Jays’ 49 wins at the All-Star break are their most since 2006. A win Sunday would have given them 50 victories before the break for the first time since 1992.

The Rays took a 1-0 lead on a two-out single by Forsythe in the second.

Tampa Bay went ahead 2-0 during the sixth thanks to a video replay. Yunel Escobar was thrown out trying to score from second by right fielder Jose Bautista on Molina’s two-out single, but the call was overturned.

Evan Longoria’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

Dickey worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third by striking out Brandon Guyer and getting a flyball from Escobar. The Rays are hitting .181 (13 for 72) with the bases loaded this season.

NOTES: Tampa Bay activated McGee from the paternity list and optioned RHP Jeremy Hellickson to Double-A Montgomery. Hellickson is coming back from right elbow surgery in January, and the move will allow him to pitch Monday during the All-Star break. Maddon said Hellickson make a second start in the minors next weekend. … Rays C Ryan Hanigan (sore left side) sat out his third consecutive game, while CF Desmond Jennings (bruised left knee) missed his second straight. … Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes singled in the sixth and has a nine-game hitting streak.

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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