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Gomes, Holt rally Indians in 7-5 win over Twins

By WTOP Staff

ADAM CZECH
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tyler Holt arrived at Target Field 25 minutes before the first pitch. The Cleveland Indians’ rookie had a quick bite to eat, took a few swings in the batting cage and then got the biggest hit of his young career.

Yan Gomes had three hits including a home run, Holt hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and Cleveland rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Holt thought he might enter the game in the seventh or eighth inning. Instead, Indians bench coach Brad Mills fetched Holt from the batting cage in the sixth and told him he was pinch-hitting for Chris Dickerson.

“I didn’t have any time to think or get ready,” said Holt, now on his fourth stint with Cleveland this season. “I just threw on some gloves. Luckily, I didn’t have time to think. I’d probably strike out or something.”

With two outs in the sixth, Holt doubled home Gomes and Lonnie Chisenhall for his first two career RBIs. The line drive to right-center came off reliever Brian Duensing (3-3) and gave the Indians a 6-5 lead.

Michael Bourn singled home Holt to make it a two-run game.

Oswaldo Arcia homered in his third straight game for Minnesota, capping a five-run first where Joe Mauer and Kennys Vargas also drove in runs.

However, Indians starter Trevor Bauer settled down and retired the next 14 batters before coming out for Kyle Crockett (3-0), who got the final out in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Cody Allen — the last of seven Indians relievers to appear in the game — pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 17 chances.

Gomes homered in the second and Zach Walters’ two-run single cut Minnesota’s lead to 5-3 in the fourth.

Arcia’s three-run homer was his fifth in his last seven games and 13th this season, one shy of his 2013 rookie total.

Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson allowed five runs in 5 1-3 innings and bounced a two-out, two-strike wild pitch in the fifth that allowed Bourn to score and make it 5-4.

“I don’t know if I just wasn’t as aggressive or what, but I definitely didn’t do a very good job of pitching with the lead tonight,” Gibson said.

Adding to Holt’s chaotic day, his cab driver from the airport didn’t know how to get to Target Field.

“These guys battle until the 27th out,” Holt said about the Indians, winners of six of their last eight. “It’s not a surprise that they came back. Luckily I got the opportunity to come through.”

BULLPEN STEPS UP

Indians manager Terry Francona was playing matchups with the steady stream of relievers who managed to hold Minnesota scoreless. The bullpen looked at it as a challenge to come up big after the offense rallied.

“We thrive off of that,” Allen said. “The offense gave us a chance to get back in the game and then we had to come through.”

TRAINER’s ROOM

Indians: 1B Nick Swisher had his injured right knee examined by a specialist in California, and Francona said the team would provide an update on his condition Wednesday. Also, the Indians placed OF Ryan Raburn on the DL before the game, recalling OF Holt from Triple-A Columbus to take his place. Raburn has been bothered all season by a sore right wrist that he aggravated last week while making a diving catch. The decision was made after Raburn took early batting practice.

“You know what, man?” Francona said he told him. “Let’s calm this thing down.” The manager hoped Raburn could start a rehab assignment before he’s eligible to be activated.

Twins: General manager Terry Ryan ruled out a return this year for RHP Mike Pelfrey, who has been out since making his fifth start in early May, first because of a groin problem and then an elbow injury that required surgery. Pelfrey has resumed playing catch, but time is running out on the season.

“We’ll start him fresh next year and he’ll be a piece of spring training, but I don’t see any reason why we ought to push that.” Pelfrey is under contract for $5.5 million in 2015, but the competition for rotation spots will be crowded.

UP NEXT:

TWINS: Ricky Nolasco (5-8) starts the second game of this three-game series on Wednesday and will be looking for his first win since July 1.

INDIANS: TJ House (1-3) has allowed three or fewer earned runs in eight straight starts and nine of his first 12. The Indians will try to climb three games above .500 for the first time since July 19.

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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