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Kiermaier’s hit in 10th gives Rays 4-3 win

By WTOP Staff

JOHN JACKSON
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Kevin Kiermaier made an error in right field soon after he entered the game in the eighth inning and struck out as a pinch-hitter.

The Tampa Bay Rays rookie got a chance to make up for those transgressions with a game-winning hit two innings later.

“I was ready to play all day and once I got in, I made a mistake on defense,” he said. “That really didn’t make me happy, so any time you do something like that — even though nothing happened — you want to redeem yourself.”

Kiermaier drove in the game-winning run with a single in the 10th to give the Rays a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Desmond Jennings went 2 for 5 with a homer and Ben Zobrist went 3 for 5 as Tampa Bay won its second straight in a back-and-forth game.

Brad Boxberger (3-1) blew the save in the ninth, but pitched a perfect 10th to get the win. Hector Rondon (3-4) took the loss.

“It was a classically well-played game on both sides,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “I can see why they like a lot of their young players.”

Jennings started the game-winning rally with a one-out single and advanced to third when Zobrist singled. Kiermaier, who went 1 for 2, singled to center to score Jennings and break the 3-3 tie.

In his Wrigley Field debut, touted Cubs prospect Javier Baez went 1 for 5 with a run scored and four strikeouts.

“I just have to be patient,” Baez said. “There’s another game tomorrow. We’ll come back and play hard again.”

Cubs starter Tsuyoshi Wada allowed two runs and four hits in six-plus innings, while Rays starter Chris Archer allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits in six innings.

The Rays took a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning on a pinch-hit single by Matt Joyce, but the Cubs tied the score in the bottom of the ninth when Ryan Sweeney hit a weak grounder up the middle — it probably would have been a routine play if Tampa Bay didn’t have the second baseman playing in the hole — to score Justin Ruggiano from second and send the game into extra innings.

After the Rays took the lead in the 10th, Maddon let Boxberger hit so he could remain in the game.

“A broken-bat ground ball found a hole; nothing you can do about that,” Boxberger said. “I was definitely excited to go back out there and do what I can do.”

A DIFFERENT GAME

The teams used a combined 11 pitchers and each team used multiple pinch-hitters and had a double switch. It’s not the game Maddon is used to.

“Totally National League,” he said. “Oh my God, what a different baseball game. For the group that doesn’t sometimes get it when you talk about the game being boring, I think maybe sometimes American League fans need to watch a National League game. Seriously, because there’s so much more going on.

“When you manage a game like that, you actually feel as though you’ve played when it’s over. I’m really becoming more of a fan of it. There are so many moving parts.”

LONG TIME COMING

The series at Wrigley Field is the first for the Rays since 2003 and the second in their history. In their first game here, Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa was ejected after cork was discovered in his shattered bat. He was suspended for seven games after an appeal.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Outfielder Wil Myers (fractured right hand) is expected to begin a minor league rehab stint this weekend. He has missed 60 games through Friday with the injury.

Cubs: Right-hander Neil Ramirez (triceps soreness) is eligible to be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday.

ON DECK

Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi (7-9, 4.09) takes on Edwin Jackson (6-11, 5.66) in the second game of the series on 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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