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Twins blow chances in 5-4 loss to Angels

By WTOP Staff

JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins had plenty of chances to put away the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.

Whether those opportunities came at the plate or in the field, the struggling Twins wasted them all.

A defensive miscue played a big part in the Angels’ four-run fourth, and the Twins couldn’t score after putting the first two runners on to start the ninth inning of a 5-4 loss to the Angels.

All-Star closer Glen Perkins (3-2) gave up the go-ahead run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta, and the heart of the order couldn’t get the potential tying run home from second base as the Twins lost for the ninth time in 12 games.

David Freese snapped an 0-for-21 skid with two doubles and an RBI, and Huston Street retired Joe Mauer, Kennys Vargas and Eduardo Escobar in the ninth for his 36th save in 38 tries and 12th since joining the Angels.

“It’s hard to control that situation. The team needed a run, and you want to hit the ball,” said Vargas, who went down swinging. “I need to learn in that kind of situation to be patient and look for my pitch, things like that.”

Kyle Gibson gave up all four of his runs in the fourth inning and also allowed seven hits, but didn’t get much help when left fielder Jordan Schafer fielded the ball off the wall in the fourth and threw it to second base — with no one there to catch it. That allowed a run to score, and the Angels tacked on a couple more to make it 4-0.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said first baseman Mauer made the decision too early that a throw would go home rather than to second base, so he lined up for a relay in the wrong spot.

“I think we all anticipated throwing the ball home, at least they did in the field, and we got ourselves in a jam because of it,” Gardenhire said.

Freese led off the ninth with a double against Perkins. John McDonald bunted pinch-runner Tony Campana over, and Iannetta lifted a fly ball to left to get him in, helping the Angels bounce back from a two-game sweep in Houston.

Eduardo Nunez hit a three-run homer for the Twins that tied the game 4-all in the sixth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: OF Josh Hamilton was pulled in the eighth because of a sore AC joint in his right shoulder. He had a cortisone shot after the game and said he won’t play Friday night. Hamilton said he had the same issue in his left shoulder earlier in the season and considered himself day to day.

LHP Joe Thatcher threw to hitters briefly in the Target Field batting cages as he continues to work his way back from a sprained left ankle.

Twins: LHP Tommy Milone will skip his next scheduled start because of what the team is calling a tired arm. Milone has had a difficult time since joining the Twins’ rotation, going 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA in five starts. LHP Logan Darnell will likely get the nod in Milone’s place.

UP NEXT

The Angels send RHP Matt Shoemaker (14-4, 3.14 ERA) to the mound Friday night against struggling Twins RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-10, 5.96). Shoemaker has thrown 23 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings, the second longest streak by an Angels rookie behind Bob Lee’s 27 straight in 1964. Shoemaker was chosen AL pitcher and rookie of the month for August.

Nolasco was tagged for eight runs in five innings against Baltimore in his most recent start and hasn’t won since July 1.

CLOSE CALL

Twins rookie Danny Santana had two hits, including a single in the ninth. But he was nearly picked off of first base by Street on a play so close that Angels manager Mike Scioscia challenged it. Replay officials took more than 4 minutes to look at the play and ultimately ruled that first base umpire Bill Welke’s safe call was correct.

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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