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Royals lose third straight to 1st place Tigers

By WTOP Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — This was supposed to be Kansas City’s most important series in at least a decade, a matchup against Detroit that featured the top two teams in the AL Central.

However, after a lackluster 5-1 loss to the Tigers on Saturday night dropped that dropped the Royals 7 1/2 games back, Kansas City is facing at the possibility of getting swept in the four-game series.

“They’re playing better than us,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “They’re pitching better and they’re hitting better. But mostly they’re swinging the bats much better.”

Rick Porcello (12-5) outpitched James Shields as the Tigers won their fifth in a row. He also raised his career record against Kansas City to 8-3 while yielding six hits and one run through seven innings.

While scoring only one run in each of their last two games against Tiger pitching, the Royals are 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position.

“The bottom line is you’re either getting it done or you’re not getting it done,” Yost said. “We’re not getting it done.”

In the meantime, the Tigers are wondering why Porcello, who is tied for the league lead with 12 wins, is not headed for the All-Star game.

“I think he clearly is an All-Star,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “He’s got 12 wins, An ERA in the low 3s. There’s going to be snubs every year at the All-Star break and I think he’s clearly a snub.”

Porcello, who has won four of his last five decisions and been key in Detroit’s taking a big lead in the division, if fine whether or not he’s picked for the game.

“That’s not my decision,” he said. “I just go out there and pitch and let everybody else take care of that.”

His teammates clearly believe Porcello deserves to be there when the game’s elite are introduced.

“We all thought he definitely deserved (a selection), but I will say that is a tough group he was in, that final vote,” said Tiger catcher Alex Avila, who drove in three runs with a single and a ninth-inning homer. “All those guys did deserve it, too. There’s always going to be a guy who gets left out.”

The Royals have lost six of their last eight. They are 0-6 at home against Detroit this year.

“To this point, we’ve underachieved but we’re still seven games better than we were at this point last year,” said manager Ned Yost. “We know we’re a second-half club. We’ve been a second-half club.”

Shields (9-5) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked none while throwing 121 pitches.

The Tigers scored three in the ninth against reliever Aaron Crow, starting with J.D. Martinez’s leadoff home run.

Nick Castellanos was safe at first after a replay review overturned a call, and Avila hit a 427-foot homer.

Ian Kinsler’s RBI single put the Tigers on top 1-0 in the third.

In the fourth, Torii Hunter hit a drive into straightaway center field over the head of Jarrod Dyson and turned it into his first triple of the season. The relay throw actually beat the sliding Hunter to the bag, but he was safe when third baseman Mike Moustakas failed to get the tag down. Avila’s RBI single made it 2-0.

Billy Butler had a sacrifice fly in the sixth after the Royals had wasted several scoring chances.

Alcides Escobar bounced into an inning-ending double play in the second, Lorenzo Cain did the same in the third and then, with the bases loaded and two out in the fifth, Porcello struck out Cain on a 2-2 pitch.

Al Alburquerque pitched a perfect ninth for the Tigers, who held the Royals to one run for the second night in a row.

NOTES: Cain made a terrific catch of Miguel Cabrera’s opposite-field drive in the first, snaring the ball just as he crashed hard into the wall. … Both starters labored, but after four innings, Shields had thrown 78 pitches and Porcello 40. … It was the 12th time in his career that Shields has thrown 121 or more pitches. … Eric Hosmer’s first-inning single stretched his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games for the Royals.

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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