Skip to main content

Verlander struggles as Tigers lose 7-0

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Detroit Tigers are in the thick of a pennant race, but Justin Verlander is still stuck searching for his past dominant self.

Verlander (12-12) gave up seven runs (six earned) in 6 2-3 innings as Danny Salazar (6-6) pitched his first career shutout and the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 7-0 on Wednesday night.

Verlander, who struck out seven and allowed nine hits, had won his last two starts. The right-hander has been dealing with a sore shoulder and his 4.80 ERA is the second-worst ERA of his career.

“Changeup wasn’t very good tonight,” Verlander said. “Really I’d say that was pretty much the only pitch, though. Everything else felt pretty good. The arm strength felt better than it has the last two games. I felt like it was better the entire game, which is a good sign for me.”

Ausmus echoed the sentiment that Verlander pitched better than what the box score indicates.

“There was a couple balls that found holes, they hit a couple balls hard as well,” he said. “At the end he cranked it up quite a bit but it just didn’t work for us tonight. I didn’t think he pitched as poorly as the line score shows.”

Carlos Santana hit a two-run homer in the first. Cleveland scored two more in the fourth on Lonnie Chisenhall’s double and Yan Gomes’ bloop single.

Michael Bourn’s RBI single and rookie Jose Ramirez’s run-scoring double finished Verlander in the seventh.

Verlander pitched for the first time since nude photos of him and model girlfriend Kate Upton were allegedly hacked from an online account and posted on the Internet. The right-hander told reporters Tuesday that he wouldn’t comment on his personal life and his focus was on helping the Tigers make the playoffs.

Detroit, which won the first two games of the series, trails Kansas City by 1 1-2 games in the AL Central.

No matter what Verlander did, it wouldn’t have mattered against the surging Salazar, who has pitched 17 consecutive scoreless innings. After giving up two consecutive hits in the fourth on Wednesday, Salazar retired 17 of the last 20 batters he faced. He struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter.

“Salazar just pitched well,” Ausmus said. “He was throwing mid-to-upper 90s the entire game. Overpowered us at times. I think this is just one of those nights that we tip our caps to him and the Indians.”

TO DH OR NOT DH

Victor Martinez played first base for the third straight game and Miguel Cabrera (sore right ankle) was the designated hitter. While Ausmus wants to keep Cabrera off his feet as much as possible, he knows he can’t play the 35-year-old Martinez at first on a long-term basis. “Maybe he’s enjoying it (but) he can’t be out there every day,” Ausmus said.

NOT TODAY

J.D. Martinez, who had the game-winning three-homer on Tuesday night to give Detroit a 4-2 victory, struck out four times Wednesday.

“That happens,” Ausmus said. “The old adage is today’s hero is tomorrow’s goat. It goes both ways. Yesterday’s goat could be tomorrow’s hero.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: C Alex Avila was held out of the lineup after being hit in the mask by a foul ball Tuesday. “I just thought it was probably smarter to not throw him back there and have him take another shot within 24 hours of the previous one,” Ausmus said.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Max Scherzer (15-5) will start the finale of the four-game set for Detroit as the Tigers go for the series win.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote