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Carrasco’s gem leads Indians past White Sox 2-0

By WTOP Staff

CLEVELAND (AP) — Just about everybody in the ballpark wanted Carlos Carrasco to finish off his first career complete game Sunday.

Including the guy who took him out.

“He had pitched great, but I thought it was time to get him out of there,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said after Carrasco worked 8 2-3 innings and the Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-0 to complete a three-game sweep.

Carrasco (7-4) allowed four hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter, extending his remarkable turnaround since rejoining the rotation last month.

However, with two on and the potential go-ahead run at the plate, Carrasco knew Francona would come to the mound and call for closer Cody Allen.

“I wanted to finish so bad,” said Carrasco, who waved toward the dugout after Jose Abreu’s two-out single in a last-ditch attempt to stay in. “He made the right move, but I was thinking, give me one more, please.”

Adrian Nieto led off the ninth with a single before Adam Eaton hit into a forceout. Carrasco struck out Carlos Sanchez, but rookie slugger Jose Abreu’s single to left ended the day for Carrasco, who was given a standing ovation by the crowd of 17,597 as he walked to the dugout.

Allen retired Conor Gillaspie on a line drive to center for his 19th save.

Cleveland trails first-place Kansas City by five games in the AL Central, but moved within 3 1/2 games of Seattle for the second wild card.

Carrasco is 4-0 and has allowed three earned runs in 38 2-3 innings over six starts since Aug. 10. He began the season in the rotation, but was banished to the bullpen after going 0-3 with a 6.95 ERA in four starts.

“This has been so nice to see,” Francona said. “You put a guy back in the rotation and hope for the best. It looks like he’s getting stronger with every game.”

Although Carrasco pitched well in relief, going 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA and a save in 26 appearances, no one expected this kind of success — even the pitcher himself.

“I’m surprised,” Carrasco said. “I feel great. It’s something I have right now and I need to continue it.”

White Sox manager Robin Ventura watched his team score two runs in the series.

“That kid today was great,” Ventura said. “He had a lot of life on his fastball. He’s throwing up there at 97-98 (mph) and his breaking stuff was great. You could see by some of the swings the movement that he had.”

Michael Brantley’s RBI single in the first put Cleveland ahead. Carlos Santana added a run-scoring groundout in the eighth.

Scott Carroll (5-10) held the Indians to two runs in seven-plus innings, but received no help from his offense. Chicago has lost 14 of 18.

WINNING TIME

Carrasco’s strong stretch began with five scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on Aug. 10, his first win as a starter since June 29, 2011, when he defeated Arizona. That broke a streak of 17 consecutive starts in which he had a loss or no-decision.

WALKING MAN

Santana drew his major league-leading 100th walk in the first inning. He’s walked 90 or more times in each of the last four seasons.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: OF Avisail Garcia got a day off. Abreu, who has been dealing with general soreness, was the DH again. Ventura expects Abreu to return to first base sometime this week.

Indians: INF-OF Mike Aviles (concussion) is increasing his activities, but there’s no timetable for his return. He was injured attempting to make a diving catch in right field Monday.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar (6-6), coming off his first career shutout, will start Monday against the Angels. RHP Jered Weaver (15-8) pitches for Los Angeles. The game is a makeup from a June 18 rainout.

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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