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Gardner, Drew help Yankees beat Red Sox 8-7

By WTOP Staff

JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — Brett Gardner has never considered himself a home run hitter. If he can save himself a few sprints on the basepaths, that’s enough for him.

Gardner had three hits Sunday night, including a tiebreaking drive in the sixth for his 15th homer, sending the New York Yankees to an 8-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The speedy left fielder has five homers in six games; he had eight all of last year, his previous career high.

“That’s not my game,” said Gardner, who has more triples (39) than home runs (38) for his career. “It’s nice not having to run, beat out an infield hit or a hustle double or triple for a change.”

Former Red Sox infielder Stephen Drew had a pair of hits and drove in four runs in his third game with the Yankees since he was sent there at the trading deadline. Esmil Rogers (1-0), who was also picked up last week in a trade, earned the victory in his Yankees debut by throwing three hitless innings, striking out three and allowing one walk.

“Two guys we just brought in a few days ago,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “That’s what we need: contributions from everyone.”

David Robertson pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

Craig Breslow (2-3) came in to relieve Clay Buchholz to start the sixth inning and gave up Gardner’s leadoff homer before retiring the next three batters.

Yankees starter David Phelps lasted just two innings, allowing five runs and six hits with two walks. He departed with right elbow inflammation and will be evaluated later this week in New York.

Boston starter Clay Buchholz allowed seven runs in five innings. He is the only starter remaining from the opening-day rotation after the defending World Champions traded Jon Lester, John Lackey, Jake Peavy and Felix Doubront to start retooling for the 2015 season.

“It’s been a frustrating year for everyone in here,” Buchholz said. “We don’t want to go out there and wear a Red Sox uniform and perform the way I am. I need to pick it up during the season.”

Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz homered for Boston. Pedroia lined a 3-2 pitch just foul with two out in the bottom of the ninth one pitch before grounding out to shortstop to end the game.

The Red Sox led 3-0 after one inning, 5-3 after two and 7-4 after four. But the Yankees tied it in the fifth on Chase Headley’s RBI double and Drew’s two-run single.

“We tried to get Clay through that fifth inning, and unfortunately it doesn’t happen,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “The walks, once again. The walks have been a part in the runs we’ve allowed, and that was the case again tonight.”

THE TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Newly acquired first baseman Allen Craig missed his second straight game with foot soreness. Farrell says he hopes to have Craig in the lineup when the Red Sox are in St. Louis to face his former team this week. Outfielder Shane Victorino flew to Los Angeles on Sunday to see an orthopedic surgeon about his back.

Yankees: Right-hander Michael Pineda, who is on the 60-day disabled list with a right shoulder injury, will make a rehab start on Friday. Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (right elbow ligament) will see doctors as scheduled on Monday, three weeks after he received an injection as an alternative to surgery.

ON DECK

Red Sox: The Red Sox have their second off day in less than a week before a rematch with World Series opponent St. Louis. Rubby De La Rosa (3-4) will face Lance Lynn (11-8) in the opener.

Yankees: New York returns home for a four-game series against the Tigers. Brandon McCarthy (3-0) will face Detroit’s Max Scherzer (13-3) in the opener.

NEW RECORD

When Rogers appeared in relief in the fifth inning, he became the 29th pitcher used by the Yankees this season — a franchise record.

ATOP THE MONSTER

ESPN set up its broadcast crew in the Monster Seats above Fenway Park’s left-field wall.

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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