DENVER -- A different team and a new season has made all the difference for Jordan Lyles. Lyles pitched effectively into the nin

DENVER -- A different team and a new season has made all the difference for Jordan Lyles. Lyles pitched effectively into the ninth inning, Troy Tulowitzki homered twice, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 8-2 on Monday night. Nolan Arenado also homered to extend his hitting streak to 25 games. It is the longest in the majors this season. Lyles (4-0) stole the spotlight from his teammates with another outstanding performance. He came to the Rockies from Houston in the off-season, where he had a career ERA of 5.35 in 72 games and 65 starts. After Mondays gem hes carrying a 2.62 ERA in seven starts, three of which have come at hitter-friendly Coors Field. "The biggest thing is making better pitches when guys are in scoring position. I dont know the numbers but I can figure I wasnt too good in the past," he said. "Thats the biggest key." He also got plenty of offensive support. Tulowitzki, who was named the NL Player of the Month for April before the game, had his first multi-homer game of the season and the ninth of his career. He hit a two-run shot off Texas starter Martin Perez in the fifth and hit another two-run homer off reliever Shawn Tolleson to give Colorado a 7-1 lead in the seventh. Both homers came after Drew Stubbs had doubled. Tulowitzki had a chance for a third home run when he came to bat in the eighth but he walked. "If there was a good pitch to hit I was definitely going to offer," Tulowitzki said. "You do think about three home runs but its not like I was trying to go deep, I was trying to put together a good at-bat." It was more than enough for Lyles (4-0), who came within three outs of the second complete game of his career. He had struggled in six previous starts against Texas but held the Rangers in check a night after they had 14 hits and nine walks in a 14-3 win over the Angels. He worked out of trouble in the third and the Rangers first run came on a ground out to shortstop in the sixth. Texas had runners on first and second in the eighth but Lyles got Josh Wilson to ground into the third double play of the night to end the inning. "He was not the same guy we faced last year," Texas catcher Robinson Chirinos said. "Today he was keeping the ball down and getting ground balls." Manager Walt Weiss sent him out for the start of the ninth but Lyles left to a standing ovation after giving up a leadoff single to Adrian Beltre. He allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out five in his longest outing since throwing a complete game against Milwaukee on Sept. 30, 2012. "He threw a heck of a game and it was a way to try to reward him for what hes done and show confidence in him for what hes done," Weiss said. "I told him it was going to be a short leash sending him out there." Perez (4-2) struggled for the second consecutive start after hurling 26 straight scoreless innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings. In his past two games he has been touched for 13 runs in 9 2-3 innings. "When he made a mistake out over the plate, they made him pay for it," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "Hes only human. Hes going to have some starts that dont go in his favour." Perez had not surrendered a home run for 46 innings dating back to last season when Arenado went deep on him in the second. After Carlos Gonzalez led off the second with a double to left, Arenado drilled a 93-mph fastball into the tunnel in left field to make it 2-0. It was Arenados sixth of the season and fourth during his streak. The hitting streak is the second-longest in Rockies history. Gonzalez made it 3-0 in the third when his ground out to first scored Brandon Barnes. Notes: Rockies manager Walt Weiss appealed an out call at first base in the second inning and the call was reversed upon review. ... Tulowitzki hit .364 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in April. The only other time Tulowitzki won the NL Player of the Month award was September 2010. ... The Rockies selected the contract of RHP Nick Masset from Triple A and optioned INF Ryan Wheeler to Colorado Springs. ... Texas will send Robbie Ross Jr. (1-2, 3.86) against Colorados Juan Nicasio (3-1, 4.19) on Tuesday. HOUSTON - Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck and Texans quarterback Case Keenum both have strong ties to Houston, are in their second year in the NFL, and are starting for their respective teams. Thats where their similarities end. Luck was the first overall pick in the 2012 draft and started from Day 1. Keenum joined the Texans as an undrafted free agent and spent all of last season on the practice squad. Luck has thrown for 1,574 yards and 10 touchdowns. Keenum had 271 yards passing and a touchdown in his only NFL game on Oct. 20. The pair will meet tonight when the AFC South-leading Colts face a Houston team looking to end a five-game skid. Watch the action unfold live on TSN, beginning with Football Night in America at 7pm et/4pm pt. "I think you realize when you go into an NFL locker room, after a certain period of time, it doesnt matter where youre drafted or how you got there," Luck said. "If you get a chance and you play well, thats what matters." Keenum agreed. "Drafted first overall or undrafted, I think, its kind of all put to the side when it comes down to it," Keenum said. Luck went to high school in Houston before attending Stanford. Keenum is from Abilene, Texas and set career NCAA records for yards passing (19,217) and touchdown passes (155) at the University of Houston. Keenum made his NFL debut in Houstons last game filling in for an injured Matt Schaub. The Texans lost 17-16, but coach Gary Kubiak saw enough promise in Keenum to give him another start with Schaub healthy. "I think (hes) growing," Kubiak said. "I liked him or I wouldnt have brought him here in the first place. I think he has all of the physical ability to do what you need to do in this league to be successful." Five things to know about the Colts-Texans game: BANGED-UP BACKS: Houstons top two running backs are dealing with injuries and are questionable. Starter Arian Foster has missed practice this week with a hamstring injury he sustained early in the last game. Backup Ben Tate finished that game despite breaking four ribs in the third quarter. Hes said he expects to play Sunday. Houston signed three running backs on Monday to add depth: rookies Ray Graham and Dennis Johnson, and fourth-yyear player Deji Karim.dddddddddddd Karim played three games for the Colts late last season, mostly on special teams. He had a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last season to help the Colts to a 28-16 win in their last meeting with Houston. REGGIES REPLACEMENT: Sunday will be Indianapolis first game without star receiver Reggie Wayne, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a win over Denver. With the Pro Bowler out, the Colts will look to 2008 first-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey and second-year player T.Y. Hilton to pick up the slack. Heyward-Bey has 18 receptions for 190 yards and a touchdown, and Hilton has 27 receptions for 412 yards and two scores. AVOIDING ED: Houstons Ed Reed has just 14 tackles with no interceptions in five games this season, causing some to wonder if he can still be a difference maker at age 35. Coach Chuck Pagano does not have that doubt. Pagano was asked how to account for him. "Dont throw in his direction, first of all," Pagano said. "Wherever hes at, just tell the quarterback, Dont go near him. Thats one way. Thats easier said than done." Reed leads active players with 61 career interceptions and has four against the Colts. MONSTER MATHIS: Indianapolis linebacker Robert Mathis has already tied his career high with 11 1/2 sacks. He reached the mark in both 2005 and 2008. "The second year in (this defence), hes much more comfortable," Pagano said. "Obviously, it was a huge transition a year ago for him, going from a 4-3 end to a stand up outside linebacker. ... Were not surprised that hes putting the numbers up that he is." Mathis has 103 sacks in his 11-year career. Hes had 15 1/2 against Houston, which is the most of any opponent. NO CUSHING: The Texans are trying to regroup after losing star linebacker Brian Cushing to a season-ending knee injury for the second straight year. "Unfortunately, weve been down this road before and some guys will have to step up," Kubiak said. Fourth-year player Darryl Sharpton will take over for Cushing, and Kubiak will look to fellow starting linebackers Joe Mays and Brooks Reed to help make Sharptons transition easier. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org ' ' '