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Rockies send Nicasio to hill vs. Rangers

May 6, 2014 - 3:01 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Juan Nicasio tries to follow up his best start of the year on Tuesday when the Colorado Rockies continue a two-game set with the Texas Rangers at Coors Field.

Nicasio was brilliant against the New York Mets on Thursday, as he scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings to improve to 3-1 on the year, while lowering his ERA to 4.19.

"All my breaking balls worked and I had good command of my fastball, too," said Nicasio, who has never faced the Rangers. "That's why I was good. I threw a lot of sliders for strikes, my fastball was down in the zone."

He had allowed 10 runs and 15 hits in 9 1/3 innings over his previous two outings.

Texas, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Robbie Ross Jr., who is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and is coming off a miserable showing his last time out. Ross was pounded by the Oakland Athletics to the tune of 10 runs (6 earned) and 11 hits in just 3 1/3 frames.

In his last three starts, Ross has been the victim of nine unearned runs.

"I wouldn't say the errors are having an impact on his ability," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It might be inexperience on the mound that's having an impact on what's been happening. I don't think the errors themselves have created that."

Ross will have to contend with the red-hot Troy Tulowitzki on Tuesday. Tulowitzki belted a pair of two-run homers and Jordan Lyles fired eight-plus efficient innings in Colorado's 8-2 win on Monday.

On the same day he was named National League Player of the Month for April, Tulowitzki tallied his ninth career multi-homer game, launching a two-run blast in the fifth and another two-run shot in the seventh.

"Any time you're playing well you just try to ride the wave," Tulowitzki said. "I'm just trying to humble myself every day and put in the work and not get too confident that this comes easy because it doesn't."

Nolan Arenado extended his hitting streak to 25 games with a two-run homer in the second, while Lyles (4-0) remained unbeaten on the season by holding Texas to two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over his stellar outing.

Texas starter Martin Perez (4-2) was pegged with the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings.

Shin-Soo Choo collected two hits and scored once for the Rangers, who have lost six of their last eight games.

This is the Rangers' first trip to Coors Field since 2006 when they lost two of three to the Rockies. Texas, though, took two of three the last time these teams met back in 2012.

Following tonight's tilt the two teams will head to Texas for a two-game series at Globe Life Park.