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KC@TEX: Lewis commits two errors in loss to Royals

May hasn't been kind to Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis so far. He began the season 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA, but after three starts this month he is 3-3 with a 3.63 ERA.

In the three straight losses, the 32-year-old has allowed 14 earned runs, exactly double what he gave up in all of April.

Lewis will look to get back on track when the Rangers face off against the Astros on Sunday in the rubber game of the Lone Star Series.

What cost Lewis in his last start, a loss to the Royals, was not exactly his pitching, but fielding his position. Two throwing errors led to a swarm of runs in a 7-4 Rangers defeat. Lewis was charged with seven runs, but only two were earned.

"If I don't throw those balls away, I don't give up those runs," Lewis said. "I'm not concerned with wins or losses. It doesn't depict sometimes how you did pitching. That's the way it goes sometimes. Sometimes things just don't go your way and it comes in bunches. You try to limit the bad ones, bounce back and get on a roll. It's all about quality and executing pitches."

Rangers manager Ron Washington isn't worried about Lewis' struggles.

"There's nothing wrong with him," Washington said. "He's got to battle through the adversity. He's as healthy as he can be. I'm not worried about Colby. Just like he lost three, he can roll off three in a row."

Adrian Beltre is expected to start at third base on Sunday, which would be the first time he's played five straight games at third base since eight straight days there to open the season. He's been battling a sore left hamstring that has forced him to DH sometimes.

For the Astros, Jordan Lyles will make his third start of the season Sunday. He's pitched six innings in each of his two starts, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs while striking out nine batters.

The 21-year-old is looking forward to facing the Rangers, a team he hasn't had much success against in the past. He's 0-1 with a 5.54 ERA in two starts against Texas, both of which came last year.

"It's going to be fun," Lyles said. "I guess it's the best lineup in the game right now. Every pitcher wants to face those guys, and I'm excited and ready for it."

Rangers: Washington sends message to Feliz
Washington said he had a talk with pitcher Neftali Feliz during Friday's start against the Astros. They spoke during the top of the fifth inning before Feliz was pulled out of the game.

"It was a message that's going to resonate for a while," Washington said. "I wanted him to understand there are guys here depending on him. When things aren't going right, you have to find a way. He was trying hard."

Feliz took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth but walked two and was pulled with two outs. Reliever Robbie Ross ended up getting the victory.

"Neftali was trying to do everything he could, he just couldn't get there," Washington said. "He wanted to ... you could see it in his eyes. You could tell he wasn't upset and wasn't happy."

Astros: Schafer gets tough break
Jordan Schafer was working overtime with hitting coach Mike Barnett to try to find a way out of his recent struggles before he exited the game Saturday in the top of the third inning with a sprained right ankle.

"For a couple of weeks, I just haven't felt very comfortable," he said. "I've been messing around with some things and trying to get back to just how I was in Spring Training and being comfortable. I just haven't been very comfortable in the box, and hopefully I'll make some adjustments and get things going."

Astros manager Brad Mills called Schafer into his office Saturday and for a talk about his approach. Mills reminded him not to get too anxious and try to hit the ball on the ground and on a line more to take advantage of his speed.

"This was not the word I used with him, but it was almost like he was getting anxious up there at the plate, and that's not the approach he had in Spring Training or the first part of the season," Mills said.

Worth noting
• The Rangers are 5-3 against the Astros since the start of 2011 and have won seven of the last 10 meetings.

• Closer Joe Nathan finally got a day off Saturday for the Rangers. He had appeared in four consecutive games, pitching four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and retiring his last 10 batters faced.

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