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. DaNorris Searcy Jersey. He reps the 4-1-6The insecurity of Canadian basketball fans is not what it once was with the home grown talent making its way to the big leagues, but it is still nice to see the local kids remembering where they come from once they make their way south. 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Ian Thomas Panthers Jersey.com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have finalized their agreed-upon trade that sends former National League MVP Jimmy Rollins to the West Coast for a pair of minor league pitching prospects.NEW YORK, N.Y. - Tom Brady and the New England Patriots maintained their mastery of the AFC East and returned to the top spot in the NFL.The Patriots clinched the division for the 11th time in 12 years with Sundays 41-13 rout of the Miami Dolphins.New England (11-3) received nine of 12 first-place votes Tuesday in the AP Pro32 power rankings, which are decided by a media panel that regularly covers the league.Remember when Tom Brady was in decline and the 2-2 Patriots were about to lose control of the AFC East? So much for that, Newsdays Bob Glauber said.Brady has 28 TDs and six INTs since his uneven start, and the Pats have won nine of their last 10 to win another AFC East title and earn the inside track on home-field advantage in the conference playoffs.The Seattle Seahawks (10-4) got the other three first-place votes and moved up a spot to No. 2 after their 17-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers.The Seahawks face NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals (11-4) on Sunday night. The Cardinals moved up a spot to No. 5.The Cardinals have played four quarterbacks this season, and their defence has been ravaged with injuries, but they still sewed up their first playoff berth since 2009. Bruce Arians is a lock for Coach of the Year, said Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback.The Denver Broncos jumped a spot to No. 3 after clinching the AFC West with a 22-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers.John Fox has quietly pieced together a foormidable defence, said Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.ddddddddddddThe Green Bay Packers dropped from the top spot to No. 4 after their surprising 21-13 loss to the Buffalo Bills.The two best teams in the NFC may be Green Bay and Seattle — yet both sit second in their own divisions with two weeks to play, said Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News.The Dallas Cowboys (10-4) are at No. 6 after rallying past the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, followed by the Indianapolis Colts (10-4). The teams play Sunday afternoon in Texas.Indy game is huge (for Dallas), NBC Sports Tony Dungy said. Could end up No. 1 seed or miss the playoffs.The Detroit Lions (10-4) remained at No. 8 after rallying past the Minnesota Vikings and moving into a first-place tie with the Packers in the NFC North.Vikings beat them everywhere but on scoreboard, Fox Sports John Czarnecki said.The Eagles (9-5) and Baltimore Ravens (9-5) rounded out the top 10.Another grind-it-out win for the Ravens over the Jaguars, ESPNs Herm Edwards said.The Eagles have dropped two straight and trail the Cowboys by a game in the NFC East going into Saturdays matchup with last-place Washington.The same problems that have persisted all season — poor pass coverage against the deep ball, offensive line woes and spotty quarterback play — are starting to sink the Eagles, Foxsports.coms Alex Marvez said.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
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