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Porcello, Tigers halt Yankees’ run with 5-2 win

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Rick Porcello was sharp, Joe Nathan was composed — and the Detroit Tigers gave their home fans reason to cheer again.

What they didn’t do was gain ground in the AL Central race.

“All we can do is continue to go out, try and win whenever we can, play consistent,” Nathan said. “Don’t focus on the results, but concentrate on each at-bat and each pitch and have fun competing.”

Porcello pitched eight impressive innings to set a career high for victories, and the Tigers snapped New York’s five-game winning streak Tuesday night, beating the Yankees 5-2. But division-leading Kansas City rallied past Minnesota with a ninth-inning homer, leaving Detroit still 1 1/2 games behind.

“They’re playing really, really good baseball,” Nathan said.

The Tigers haven’t played all that well in August, but they’ve now won three in a row, and the vibe at Comerica Park on Tuesday was a positive one. Nathan has struggled all season, and he’s had a strained relationship with Detroit fans of late, but the home crowd was chanting “Let’s go, Joe!” in the ninth as the right-hander worked through his first perfect inning since Aug. 5.

“It was nice,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “Really, it would be a great side story if Joe could run the gamut here the last 30 or so games and endear himself to Tiger fans again.”

Porcello (15-8) joined teammate Max Scherzer as the American League’s only 15-game winners, allowing two runs and nine hits. The 25-year-old right-hander threw a shutout in his previous start against Tampa Bay, and he blanked the Yankees until Jacoby Ellsbury’s homer in the fifth.

Ellsbury added another solo shot in the eighth.

Brandon McCarthy (5-3) dealt with some uncharacteristic control problems in the second, and he ended up allowing five runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings.

“I never felt sharp, and I never felt comfortable mechanically,” McCarthy said. “This happens to everyone — you just have a game where the ball won’t go where you want it, and you have to find a way to battle through it.”

Nathan earned his 28th save in 34 chances. First baseman Miguel Cabrera made two nice plays to close out the win.

McCarthy entered the game with only seven walks in 52 innings since the Yankees acquired him from Arizona in early July, but after J.D. Martinez singled to start the Detroit second, the New York right-hander walked Nick Castellanos and hit Eugenio Suarez one out later. A walk to Rajai Davis forced in the game’s first run.

Martinez’s RBI single in the third made it 2-0, although Ellsbury cut the lead in half with his first home run of the night.

The Tigers added two runs in the sixth on an RBI single by Castellanos and a double-play grounder by Alex Avila. Torii Hunter’s RBI single in the seventh made it 5-1 and chased McCarthy.

Ellsbury hit his 13th homer of the year in the eighth.

The game started after a rain delay of 1 hour, 8 minutes. New York’s first eight outs against Porcello all came on groundballs.

BACK IN A GROOVE: Martinez raised his average to .312 with a three-hit night, and with Cabrera somewhat hobbled, the Tigers will take extra offense from anyone.

Martinez struggled immediately after the All-Star break, but he’s hitting .338 since Aug. 8.

WARM WELCOME: Derek Jeter received a standing ovation when he came to the plate for the first time Tuesday. Barring a postseason meeting, this series will be the retiring star’s last in the state where he went to high school. Jeter had two hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: OF Brett Gardner sat out a third straight game with a right ankle injury, but 1B Mark Teixeira was back in the lineup after sitting out Monday to rest a sore left hamstring. Teixeira went 0 for 4.

Tigers: Cabrera returned after missing Sunday’s game with a right ankle issue. He doubled in the third. In the eighth, he went to his knees to field Brian McCann’s grounder and start a double play.

UP NEXT

Yankees: RHP Shane Greene (3-1) takes the mound against the Tigers on Wednesday night. New York has won each of Greene’s last four starts.

Tigers: LHP David Price (12-9) starts against Greene. Price struck out 10 against the Yankees earlier this month in a game the Tigers won 4-3 in 12 innings.

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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