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Vargas, Nunez lead Twins over White Sox 11-4

By WTOP Staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In the midst of their fourth straight dismal season, the Minnesota Twins got big performances Wednesday night from two players they hope will be building blocks for years to come.

Kennys Vargas homered for the second consecutive game and Trevor May earned his first major league victory in an 11-4 win over the Chicago White Sox.

On July 13, Vargas was batting cleanup for the World Team in the Futures Game at Target Field. The Twins called him up from Double-A New Britain on Aug. 1 and he’s been on a tear ever since.

Vargas drove in three runs Wednesday with an RBI single in the fifth inning and a two-run homer into the second deck in left field in the sixth. He has 31 RBIs since his call-up — third-most in the majors during that span.

“He has huge power, we know that,” said teammate Eduardo Nunez, who had four hits and two RBIs. “He’s learning how to keep his average high and learning how to play the right way, and he’s doing a great job for us. After he’s joined this team we’ve scored a lot more runs, there’s no doubt about it.”

The Twins led the majors in runs last month. Three games into September they’ve scored 20 more, and Vargas continues to be a big part of the offense.

“If (a pitcher) throws one up over the plate and Vargas swings in the right spot, it’s got a chance to go a long way, and that’s exactly what happened,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Vargas’ homer.

May (1-4) made his big league debut on Aug. 9, but control was a big problem in his first four starts, all losses. This time, he walked just one batter and threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the first 17 he faced.

“Getting ahead is the name of the game, especially at this level. You can’t just get behind guys and expect to get poor contact or swings,” May said.

The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits while striking out six in five innings.

“Getting a win at all is a step in the right direction,” May said. “I made a couple more of those pitches I needed to make.”

The Twins broke loose for five runs in the fifth to break a 3-all tie and set up May for his milestone win. Vargas’ RBI single and Eduardo Escobar’s two-run triple did the bulk of the damage.

Minnesota jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first behind Nunez’s RBI triple and back-to-back doubles from Josmil Pinto and Oswaldo Arcia.

White Sox starter John Danks (9-10) settled down to hold the Twins scoreless for the next three innings, and Chicago got back into it. Dayan Viciedo’s two-run homer into the second deck in left brought the White Sox within a run, and Adam Eaton’s RBI single tied it in the fifth.

The game was halted in the bottom half by a 16-minute rain delay. When play resumed, Vargas lined Danks’ first pitch into right field for an RBI single that gave the Twins a 4-3 lead.

Four batters later, Escobar hit Matt Lindstrom’s first pitch into the right-field corner for a two-run triple.

“I almost felt like every time I threw a fastball they knew it was coming,” said Danks, winless in his last seven starts. “We tried to mix it up and almost tried to pitch backwards a little bit. I worked better than before, but it was just an all-around bad night. It’s pretty frustrating.”

COMIC RELIEF

Nunez was running with the pitch from second base on Vargas’ base hit to right in the fifth. But he didn’t see where the ball went, so he slid into third before scrambling to his feet and making it home for the go-ahead run.

“He’s entertaining. That’s why we love the guy,” Gardenhire said. “He keeps us smiling.”

TWINS TIP CAPS TO KONERKO

The Twins honored White Sox captain Paul Konerko during a pregame ceremony commemorating his final game in Minnesota. First baseman Joe Mauer and closer Glen Perkins gave Konerko a bottle of wine, and Gardenhire presented a $10,000 check for the Bring Me Home Campaign, which supports foster care in Chicago.

In his 18-year career, Konerko played 256 games against the Twins, more than any player in history.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: Jose Abreu returned to the lineup at DH after being given a night off due to general soreness. “It’s nothing major,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I think at times it’s his ankle, at other times it’s his hamstring. When it all piles together he just doesn’t feel all that great.”

UP NEXT

The Twins open a four-game series against the Angels at Target Field on Thursday. Kyle Gibson (11-10) will look for his first win in his last four starts. He faces Hector Santiago (4-7).

The White Sox wrap up a short road swing with a three-game series in Cleveland that starts Friday. Chris Sale (11-3) pitches against fellow lefty T.J. House (2-3).

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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