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Verlander in control, Tigers beat White Sox

By WTOP Staff

PAUL LADEWSKI
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) —

It was just one pitch, but Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers can only hope it turns out to be a turning point in their season.

Verlander turned in one of his most effective outings this year and once again beat the White Sox, leading the Detroit Tigers past Chicago 7-1 Friday night.

The right-hander showed some of his former Cy Young form, particularly to wiggle out of a jam in the first inning. After Verlander’s wild pickoff throw set up a sacrifice fly by Adam Dunn, Verlander reached back to strike out Tyler Flowers on a 95 mph fastball and leave the bases loaded.

“Yeah, you can’t put your team in a 3-0 deficit right away,” Verlander said. “I made a bad throw to allow those guys to score an easy run. Once the bases are loaded, you’re thinking, ‘All right, just leave the damage where it’s at and make a pitch here.'”

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus was also glad to see Verlander get out of the tough spot.

“I’ve always said the first inning is the toughest inning for a starter,” Ausmus said. “To get out of the inning was very important.”

The contending Tigers won for the fifth time in six games. Chicago has lost nine of 10.

Verlander (12-11) beat the White Sox for the 14th time in 18 decisions since June 10, 2009 — the most wins by any pitcher against a single team in that span.

The former AL MVP allowed one run and nine hits in seven innings. It was the first time this year that he allowed fewer than two runs in a game.

“I’m just trying to execute better pitches, not walk so many guys and get ahead in the count,” said Verlander, whose numbers began to trend upward since the All-Star break. “I know (the talent) is still there to be the guy I want to be. I just got to find it.”

Verlander matched his season high with eight strikeouts and walked two. Seven of the strikeouts came in his last three innings.

“The first half of his game was good,” Ausmus said. “The second half was very good.”

J.D. Martinez had a double and two singles for Detroit. The Tigers got 13 hits, including five doubles.

Scott Carroll (5-9) took the loss but didn’t get much support in the field. He allowed seven runs, only three of which were earned.

First baseman Jose Abreu had three hits for Chicago, but his two errors helped the Tigers score five times in the fourth for a 7-1 lead.

After Victor Martinez hit a grounder that handcuffed Abreu for an error, Nick Castellanos’ groundout and Alex Avila’s double drove in two runs. Eugenio Suarez followed with a single before Ezequiel Carrera’s high bouncer glanced off the tip of Abreu’s glove for a run-scoring miscue. Ian Kinsler’s fielder’s choice groundout and Torii Hunter’s double capped the rally.

Abreu left the game after the seventh because of what appeared to be a minor hamstring injury.

“He’s fine,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I think he’s just tired.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Joakim Soria resumed his throwing program before the game, when he threw off flat ground for the third time this week. The hope is that his strained left oblique will not require a second stint on the disabled list, but there is no timetable for the reliever’s return.

White Sox: OF Moises Sierra went hitless in four at-bats on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. He is on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left oblique.

UP NEXT

The Tigers will send RHP Max Scherzer (15-4, 3.13) to the mound against LHP Chris Sale (10-3, 2.03) in the opener of a split doubleheader on Saturday. Tigers LHP Kyle Ryan and White Sox RHP Chris Bassitt are scheduled to make their major league debuts in the nightcap.

REED GETS CALL

Prior to the game, the Tigers purchased the contract of RHP Evan Reed from Triple-A Toledo and designated RHP Jose Ortego for assignment. Reed had a 0-1 record and 4.88 earned run average in 27 games for the Tigers this season. He replaced LHP Kyle Lobstein, who was sent to the Triple-A affiliate the previous night.

LITTLE BIG MEN

The White Sox plan to honor the Jackie Robinson West Little League team on Chicago’s South Side before the second game of the doubleheader. The team became the first all-black squad to win the United States championship before losing to South Korea in the Little League title game.

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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