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David Price hit hard, Tigers lose to Twins 8-4

By WTOP Staff

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Detroit Tigers expected David Price to bolster their postseason chances when they traded for the 2012 Cy Young Award winner this summer.

After winning 11 games with Tampa Bay, though, he has a losing record as a Tigers starter and his latest setback further tightened the AL Central race.

The left-hander gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings Wednesday night as the Minnesota Twins beat the Tigers 8-4 ahead of Detroit’s big weekend series in Kansas City.

Price (14-12) fell to 3-4 since coming to the Tigers in a July 31 trade with the Rays.

“We’re hoping that with the importance of the next couple of starts that he has, that the adrenaline helps and he’s like he was earlier,” manager Brad Ausmus said.

Danny Santana tripled, doubled and drove in two runs for the Twins. Kyle Gibson (12-11) recovered from a rough start to pitch last-place Minnesota to its second straight win over the division leaders.

The Tigers ended the night with a half-game lead over the second-place Royals, who beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2.

“I’m frustrated,” Price said. “I’m a better pitcher than this. I’ve just got to be better.”

Price looked like a much different pitcher than his previous outing in Minnesota, when he threw eight shutout innings to lead Tampa Bay over the Twins 5-1. This time, he took the mound with a 2-0 lead and promptly allowed three runs in the first.

“I felt good. I just didn’t make enough good pitches, and that’s a tough thing to swallow,” Price said. “Especially getting two runs before I even take the mound.”

Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera went 4 for 5 with a pair of doubles but was thrown out after Detroit made a costly mistake on the bases in the seventh.

With the Twins up 6-4 and Torii Hunter on first, Cabrera doubled to advance Hunter to third. Victor Martinez grounded to first base and Cabrera — apparently expecting Hunter to break for the plate — was caught off second and tagged out for an inning-ending double play.

“I accept that, full responsibility,” Hunter said. “I misled him and that’s my fault.”

Santana had three hits and finished a home run short of the cycle. He also scored three times.

Gibson allowed four runs and seven baserunners in the first two innings but retired 10 of the final 13 batters he faced.

“He bowed his neck a little bit as they say, old-school baseball, and he hung in there and got us through six innings,” manager Ron Gardenhire said.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT

Asked about the importance of the upcoming series in Kansas City, Ausmus said: “Nothing needs to be said. There’s not a person in this clubhouse that doesn’t understand the importance of this series.”

SETTLING FOR A TRIPLE

Brian Dozier narrowly missed his 21st homer in the sixth when he drove in Santana to put Minnesota up 5-4. The ball hit off the top of the center-field wall and Dozier settled for a triple off reliever Al Albuquerque.

“I thought it was out, but it was a good thing he kept running,” said Twins teammate Joe Mauer, who watched the hit from the on-deck circle.

Joe Mauer and Santana each added an RBI single in the eighth for insurance.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: C Alex Avila missed his third straight game with concussion-like symptoms and remains day to day. … RHP Anibal Sanchez will throw another bullpen session Thursday in Kansas City as he tries to come back from a strained left pectoral muscle. If all goes well, Sanchez is expected to throw a simulated game on Sunday.

Twins: All-Star closer Glen Perkins will have his pitching arm examined Thursday, general manager Terry Ryan told reporters before the game. Perkins blew a chance for his 35th save on Tuesday night when he allowed a three-run homer in the ninth. … INF Eduardo Escobar (shoulder) and OF Oswaldo Arcia (back) are both day to day.

UP NEXT

The Tigers announced their starting rotation for the series against Kansas City. Justin Verlander (13-12) will start Friday against LHP Jason Vargas (11-9). Detroit will send Max Scherzer to the mound on Saturday, and Rick Porcello on Sunday.

Minnesota RHP Phil Hughes (15-10) will try to become the sixth AL pitcher to win 16 games on Friday when the Twins begin their weekend series against Cleveland. He’ll face Indians righty Trevor Bauer (5-8).

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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