ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- The Texas Rangers don't lose much these days. When they do, the games can get downright ugly.
Colby Lewis had his worst and shortest start of the season, Michael Kirkman gave up three runs to the first three batters he faced and the Rangers fell behind by 10 runs before losing to the Colorado Rockies 11-7 on Saturday to end their seven-game winning streak.
"Hard day at the office," Lewis said. "They put the bat on the ball and made key hits when they needed to. They took advantage of mistakes. That's the way it goes."
During their winning streak -- since an 11-3 loss to Arizona on June 14 -- the Rangers didn't even allow more than three runs in a game.
The Rockies, who won for only the third time in 16 games, led 5-0 after Tyler Colvin and Chris Nelson had consecutive two-out, two-run singles in the third.
After Colorado scored three more times in the fourth against Lewis (6-6), Wil Nieves and Dexter Fowler -- the Nos. 8 and 9 batters -- homered on consecutive pitches in the fifth off reliever Michael Kirkman for three more runs and an 11-1 lead.
"They put runs on the board. They hit the ball hard all day," manager Ron Washington said. "We might have had a chance to win it if we put some more runs on the board, but we had to score 12 to win and we only put seven on."
Nelson Cruz homered twice for two-time defending AL champion Texas (44-28), which lost for only the third time in 14 games and still has the best record in the majors.
Since ending May with consecutive home losses of 10-3 and 21-8 against Seattle, the Rangers also had a 12-1 loss at Oakland. This time, they trailed by double digits against one of the National League's worst teams before a six-run fifth that left Colorado starter Josh Outman one out short of the required five innings to be eligible for his first victory.
"It was a wild game. They came out strong swinging the bat. We had a chance to come back," Cruz said. "We battled, and showed no matter what the score is we're going to go out there and give whatever we've got."
Lewis struck out six with no walks, but gave up 11 hits and eight runs in four innings. The right-hander had two complete games his previous three starts, and allowed only 11 earned runs over 44 innings his last six games.
Rex Brothers (3-2), the third of five Colorado pitchers, threw two scoreless innings despite allowing leadoff doubles in both.
Outman was the first Rockies starter to go on short rest since manager Jim Tracy's decision this week to go with a four-man rotation.
Even given extra pitches and another chance through the heart of the Texas lineup, Outman got a no decision.
"At the end of the day, the team won, and that's the big picture," a clearly disappointed Outman said. "We got a team win. We came out and played. Besides one inning, we played a great game against the best team in baseball."
Six players had at least two hits for the Rockies, who won for only the third time in 16 games. They got their first win in 11 games this season against AL West teams.
"I don't know that we've had a better offensive game all year long," Tracy said.
Outman had two outs in the fifth before Adrian Beltre and Michael Young had consecutive RBI singles to make it 11-3. The lefty slammed his glove against his leg in frustration when he was pulled from the game.
"Nothing that I'm going to repeat that went through my head," Outman said when asked what he was thinking.
"Trying to give the kid the opportunity to be involved in the decision," Tracy said. "He had done very well, and you know something, I gave him that rope and a little bit more. I gave him Josh Hamilton, I gave him Adrian Beltre, I gave him Michael Young, and the inning was still going."
Outman allowed five runs and eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk. He threw 92 pitches.
Cruz, who had a solo shot an inning earlier off Outman, hit the first pitch from reliever Adam Ottavino over the center field wall for a three-run homer.
"I give him Nelson Cruz and he hits the ball in the bullpen off that kid, then personally for me, I've done it wrong," Tracy said. "But I tried to get him that fifth inning, really, really hard."
NOTES: Left-hander Matt Harrison, 5-0 with a 1.43 ERA his last six starts, goes for Texas in the finale. Righty Alex White (2-5) starts for Colorado, four days after allowing five earned runs in 3 2-3 innings at Philadelphia. ... Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre was charged with an error in the second on Nelson's hard-hit liner, even though it was obvious that Beltre lost sight of the ball in a background filled with white T-shirts.
