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Price helps Tigers beat Mariners 4-2

By WTOP Staff

DETROIT (AP) — David Price got into a sticky situation in the eighth, and Brad Ausmus decided to leave the ace in the game.

Price then rewarded his manager for the vote of confidence.

Price wriggled out of the jam in his final inning, and the Detroit Tigers snapped Seattle’s five-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory over Felix Hernandez and the Mariners on Saturday.

The Tigers had a three-run lead when the Mariners loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. When Ausmus came out of the dugout, Price was sure his night was done.

“I’ve never had a manager come out in the middle of the inning and not pull me,” he said. “That had never happened.”

But Ausmus just wanted to check in with Price, who is 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in three starts since he was acquired from Tampa Bay in a three-team trade last month.

“This is only David’s third game for us, so I’m not used to how he handles himself late in the game,” Ausmus said. “I went out there to ask him if he was OK, he gave me a very definitive answer, and I went back to the dugout.”

Price (12-8) then struck out Austin Jackson — one of the players Detroit traded for him — and then got Dustin Ackley to ground into a force at second.

“That was a huge moment for me,” Price said. “I wanted to finish that inning off, so I looked Brad straight in the eye and told him I was good to go. I didn’t want to be one of those pitchers who looks down and mumbles that he’s OK. I wanted to make sure he knew I was ready.”

Hernandez was pulled after five innings and 92 pitches. He allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out three and walked none.

Hernandez was hit on his left hip by Ian Kinsler’s comebacker on the third out of the fourth inning, and took another glancing blow from a ball hit by Miguel Cabrera in the fifth.

“He’s fine, we just took him out as a precaution after he got hit again by Miguel in the fifth,” Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said.

Hernandez (13-4) lost his record streak of 16 straight starts of at least seven innings and no more than two runs. Hernandez broke Tom Seaver’s major league mark of 13 straight earlier this month.

“I’m fine — I’m going to live,” Hernandez said. “I was throwing a lot of pitches tonight, especially at the beginning of the game. I wasn’t missing by much.

“The streak’s over, but I’ll start a new one soon.”

Joe Nathan pitched the ninth, allowing one run while picking up his 25th save. It was his first appearance since making a profane gesture at Comerica Park fans on Wednesday, and he received a mixture of cheers and boos when he was introduced.

“I apologized on Thursday, but I still feel terrible for my actions, so I want to apologize again,” said Nathan, who didn’t celebrate after the final out. “I’ll keep apologizing until the fans understand how upset I am that I let my frustration get the best of me. I don’t want my entire career to be known for three seconds of anger.”

Nick Castellanos hit a solo homer in the fourth for Detroit. He also had a two-out RBI single in the Tigers’ two-run seventh.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Seattle: Cano was back in the starting lineup one day after fouling a pitch off his foot. Cano played several more innings after the painful foul ball, only leaving when the Mariners built a comfortable lead, and was fine to play against Price.

Detroit: Cabrera needed the attention of Tigers trainer Kevin Rand after taking a Hernandez fastball just above the left elbow. The impact caused Cabrera’s hand to go numb — a day after he had stayed in Friday’s series opener after injuring this thumb on the first play of the game — but he stayed in the game after a short delay.

UP NEXT

The three-game series concludes with rookie Robbie Ray (1-2, 5.31 ERA) facing Seattle’s Chris Young (11-6, 3.20 ERA). Ray, acquired in the Doug Fister trade last winter, is in his second stint with the Tigers, both to replace Anibal Sanchez in the rotation.

Young has never lost to Detroit in three career starts, going 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA.

BIG CROWD

The Hernandez-Price matchup, plus a post-game fireworks show, drew a sold-out crowd of 43,833 — Detroit’s sixth straight sellout.

ROSTER MOVE

The Tigers purchased the contract of reliever Jim Johnson from Triple-A Toledo and sent Melvin Mercedes back to the Mud Hens. Johnson posted 101 saves for Baltimore in the last two seasons, but he struggled with Oakland and was released on August 1.

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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