NEWS » n the third. It was Keplers 11th hit -- and sixth h

INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Luck can see and hear the reminders of the Indianapolis Colts slow starts every day.If theres not a question being asked, he can find the gory details on tape. He might even get a lesson about the necessity of digging deficits early in games.By now, everyone in that locker room understands the message and the mission Sunday at Denver.You cant spot a team 18 points in the NFL. I hate to say spot because I dont want to take credit from what Detroit did. They obviously forced us into that situation, Luck said reflecting on last weeks loss. But you cant do it.The problem is the Colts (0-1) cant seem to avoid doing it.According to Pro Football Reference, the Colts have faced 27 double-digit halftime deficits since 2012 and somehow, theyve made the playoffs three times.Thats largely because of Lucks knack to lead his team back to victory. Fourteen times in 56 games, Luck has directed winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime -- a number that would have increased to 15 had Indys defense made a final stop against Detroit.Instead, the Colts returned to the team complex Monday, still searching for answers -- on offense and defense.We probably have to change something up or do something different, safety Mike Adams said. I dont know what we have to do to make us start fast, but we have to figure this out sooner than later.Coach Chuck Pagano made some changes at training camp .He pushed players to get at it early in practice and increased the tempo, hoping the emphasis would give them a jumpstart on Sundays.So far, the results have not changed.In four preseason games, the Colts scored only 12 points in the first half, trailed 17-3 at halftime of the two games Luck played in and found themselves in a 9-0 deficit at Buffalo.The problems continued against the Lions, who scored the first 14 points last weekend and extended the lead to 21-3 before Luck got the offense rolling.How much of a difference can a fast start make?Pagano can find the answer in Indys past three games against the Broncos (1-0).After taking a 24-0 lead in the 2014 opener, Denver held on for a 31-24 victory.In a playoff rematch that season, Indy led 14-10 at the half and went on to win 24-13.Last November, in Peyton Mannings final game at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts led 17-7 at halftime and hung on for a 27-24 victory.We would love to see the offense put some points up early against Denver, able to move the ball early, tight end Dwayne Allen said Wednesday.It wont be easy against the defending Super Bowl champs , who still have one of the leagues fiercest defenses and most prominent home-field advantages -- playing in front a raucous crowd and in the mile-high air that can cause breathing problems for opponents.Some Indy fans are clamoring for more aggressive play calls to start games. Others think, they should go no-huddle right away.The Colts arent dropping any hints of what, or if, theyll change tactics this weekend.All Luck, his teammates and the coaches really want to see is a different result as soon as possible.Anything that scores points I am fine with, Luck said. (Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski) does a great job of getting us in positions to be successful and make some plays.Game notes Four opening day starters did not practice Wednesday. Cornerback Patrick Robinson (concussion), safety T.J. Green (knee), outside linebacker Robert Mathis (foot) and right guard Joe Reitz (foot) all sat out. Linebacker Trent Cole (back), cornerback Vontae Davis (ankle) and safety Clayton Geathers also sat out. Geathers was excused to attend the birth of his child. ... Defensive linemen Henry Anderson (knee), Zach Kerr (foot) and Kendall Langford (knee) were limited at practice. Cornerbacks Darius Butler (ankle) and Antonio Cromartie (hamstring) and offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison (back) also did limited work.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Discount Custom Basketball Jerseys . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Wholesale Custom Basketball Jerseys . You can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City. http://www.customjerseysbasketball.com/ . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Custom Atlanta Hawks Jerseys . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Cheap Custom Basketball Jerseys Online . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. CLEVELAND -- As the losses pile up, the pressure builds.The Minnesota Twins havent won in two weeks and manager Paul Molitor senses his team is close to breaking.Its been a long week, Molitor said after Minnesota dropped its 13th straight, 8-4 to the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night. We need to try to find a way to win a game at some point to just lighten the load. Its getting heavy. Guys are getting on the edge a little bit.You can feel it. Its building.Corey Kluber struck out a season-high 11 and notched his seventh straight win for the Indians, who pushed the Twins within one loss of tying the club record.Unbeaten since July 3, Kluber (15-8) allowed three runs and six hits in eight solid innings to tame the Twins, winless since Aug. 17. The right-hander is 7-0 with a 1.94 ERA in his last 10 starts.The Twins skid is the lengthiest in the majors this season, and also the second-longest in team history. They also lost 13 in a row in 1961 and 1982, when they dropped 14 in a row.Molitor has been on both sides of streaks. The Hall of Famer was with Milwaukee in 1987, when the Brewers opened the season with 13 consecutive wins.We got to 20-3 and then we lost 12 in row so we gave them all back, he said. We won 13 at the start, which was pretty cool, but you dont want to go from 20-3 to 20-15. It was tough.So is this stretch for the Twins, who dropped to 49-84 -- the worst record in either league.Brian Dozier hit his 32nd homer and Max Kepler connected for his 16th for the Twins, who rallied in the ninth by loading the bases with two outs against rookie Perci Garner, making his major league debut. Clevelands Bryan Shaw came on and threw a wild pitch to score a run before striking out Dozier for his first save.The Twins packed up afterward and headed home to begin a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox.I think Ill be relieved once we get a win, not because one guy hit a home run, Kepler said. I just want to wwin right now.dddddddddddd Its tough. This is the first time Ive experienced it. Its not easy mentally or physically on any of the pitchers or the hitters.Carlos Santana and Roberto Perez homered off Pat Dean (1-5), and Jose Ramirez hit a two-run double during a five-run fifth as the AL Central-leading Indians swept the three-game series.For seven-plus innings, Kluber had little trouble against the ALs worst team. The 2014 Cy Young Award winner, who followed up an 18-win season by losing 16 last year, struck out four of the first six batters and carried a 7-1 lead into the eighth, when Dozier tagged him for a two-run homer.The Indians chased Dean in the fifth, when Perez homered, Santana hit an RBI single, Ramirez doubled home a pair and pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall delivered a sacrifice fly off reliever J.T. Chargois.Keplers 418-foot shot to straightaway center tied it 1-1 in the third. It was Keplers 11th hit -- and sixth homer -- against Cleveland this season. He homered three times at Progressive Field on Aug. 1.The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the second when Abraham Almonte pulled a two-out RBI double inside the bag at third.DOZIERS AUGUSTDozier finished the month with 13 homers, one shy of the team record for homers in any month. Harmon Killebrew hit 14 homers in June 1964. Dozier batted .302 in August and had 24 extra-base hits.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: OF Danny Santana will likely miss the remainder of the season with a sprained left shoulder. Santana got hurt last weekend when he collided with teammate Robbie Grossman in Toronto. Molitor said Santana needs more than a month to recover and the team intends to shut him down rather than rush him back.UP NEXTTwins: Ervin Santana, the subject of trade rumors in recent days, will open a four-game series at home against the Chicago White Sox. ' ' '