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Porcello hit hard, Tigers lose 7-2 to Mariners

By WTOP Staff

DETROIT (AP) — The Tigers have one of the best lineups in the American League, and a starting rotation that would rival the Atlanta Braves of the 1990s.

If the playoffs started Saturday, though, Detroit would be home watching on television.

After a 7-2 loss Friday night to the surging Mariners, the Tigers have not only lost what once looked like a comfortable lead in the AL Central, they now trail Seattle for the second wild-card spot.

“Obviously, we’d rather be in first place by 15 games, but we’re not,” rookie manager Brad Ausmus said. “There’s nothing we can do about what we’ve done up until now. You just go out tomorrow and try to start winning games again.”

The Tigers are 1 1/2 games behind first-place Kansas City in a race they led by seven games on July 24.

“No one in this clubhouse is going to panic,” reliever Ian Krol said. “We’ve got eight or nine games left with Kansas City, so we just have to take care of our business.”

In the other clubhouse, manager Lloyd McClendon wasn’t going to gloat about passing Detroit and its new skipper. McClendon had hoped to get that job when Jim Leyland retired after winning three straight AL Central titles, but Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski picked Ausmus.

McClendon ended up managing the Mariners instead, but downplayed his return to Comerica Park on Friday night.

“This was the first win of the series,” he said. “Other than that, no, it was no more significant than another game.”

James Paxton (3-0) was the star for Seattle, pitching six innings and allowing one run on five hits. Robinson Cano homered, and he and Logan Morrison each scored twice as Seattle won its fifth straight and ninth in 11 games.

“That kid has a really nice downward angle on his fastball, and you end up hitting a lot of grounders and choppers off him,” Ausmus said. “We actually hit some balls hard, but it seemed like they all went to the shortstop (Chris Taylor), and he just kept making play after play.”

Rick Porcello (13-8) struggled badly in his first appearance since pitching the final three innings of Detroit’s 19-inning loss in Toronto on Sunday.

After a five-start stretch in which he had a 1.75 ERA, the 25-year-old righty gave up six runs — five earned — and 10 hits in six innings. He didn’t walk a batter, but struck out only three.

“The game in Toronto had nothing to do with what happened tonight,” Porcello said. “I had plenty of time to get ready for this start, and I prepared just like I always do. I just didn’t pitch well.”

Seattle jumped out to a quick three-run lead in the second.

Following a leadoff single and a hit batter, Morrison and Endy Chavez each hit an RBI single. Taylor bunted for a single, loading the bases with none out, but ex-Tiger Austin Jackson grounded into a double play, helping Porcello to escape only down 3-0.

An inning earlier, Jackson received a long standing ovation when he led off his first game at Comerica Park since the trade-deadline deal that sent him to Seattle and brought ace pitcher David Price to the Tigers.

“That was a special moment for me,” said Jackson, a fan favorite in Detroit for his defense in center field. “Once the game started, it was business as usual, but that was fun.”

Cano made it 4-0 with a long homer on the first pitch of the third. After the Tigers got on the board in the bottom half, Taylor restored the four-run lead with an RBI single in the fourth, and Detroit never threatened again.

“The run in the fourth was the one that really frustrated me, because we were still within 4-1, and with this offense, that’s manageable,” Porcello said. “Our guys were battling out there, and I couldn’t keep them in the game.”

MIXED-UP BOBBLEHEAD

The Tigers gave away Miguel Cabrera bobbleheads that depict him holding his two MVP trophies. The only problem? The trophies say “Most Valuable Player, National League”, which would be news to Buster Posey and Andrew McCutchen, who won the 2012 and 2013 NL MVP awards, respectively, while Cabrera was winning in the AL.

UP NEXT

The Tigers and Mariners square off again Saturday night with a marquee pitching matchup. Price (11-8) will make his third start for Detroit, and Seattle counters with Felix Hernandez (12-3).

Hernandez, who made his major league debut at Comerica Park, is 9-0 in his last 11 starts against the Tigers, but will be facing Price for the first time.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: With the big lead, Cano left in the eighth inning, partially as a precaution after fouling a pitch off his foot early in the game. He isn’t expected to miss any time. … OF Michael Saunders (oblique) resumed his rehab stint with Triple-A Tacoma after missing time for the birth of his child. In five games with Tacoma, he was hitting .353 with a .542 on-base percentage.

Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (shoulder) isn’t scheduled to pick up a baseball until Tuesday, when he will try some short tossing. Ausmus said Verlander’s schedule will be based entirely on how he feels then, but the hope is still that he will start next Friday in Minnesota.

WELCOME ABOARD

Tigers reliever Melvin Mercedes made his major league debut with two perfect innings, needing just 23 pitches. He became the 11th player to make his debut with the Tigers this season.

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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