Braves hit three HRs to power way past Rockies

The Atlanta Braves used three solo homers to support the strong effort of starting pitcher Sean Newcomb and beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Sunday at Coors Field.

The Braves got back-to-back homers in the sixth inning from right fielder Nick Markakis and shortstop Dansby Swanson and second baseman Ozzie Albies added one in the seventh, as the Braves took two of three in the series. Atlanta (6-3) has won each of its first three series this season.

It marked the first time Colorado has been shut out since May 27, 2017.

Newcomb (1-1) kept the Colorado hitters off-balance for six scoreless innings. He scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out nine. It was quite a turnaround from the first start for Newcomb, who was tagged for six runs in 4 1/3 innings last week against Washington.

It was a change of fortune against the Rockies for Newcomb. In two previous starts against the Rockies, he had a 5.91 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.

Shane Carle threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Sam Freeman recorded two outs. They gave way to closer Arodys Vizcaino, who worked a perfect ninth inning in a non-save situation. Vizcaino, who walked in the winning run in the 10th inning of Saturday’s loss, had no trouble on Sunday and struck out Trevor Story to end the game.

The Atlanta bullpen has allowed only five earned runs in 34 innings and is one of two teams that have not allowed a home run. The four Braves pitchers combined to hand Colorado its first shutout of the season.

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland (0-2) pitched six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five and allowed two home runs.

Atlanta scored its first run in the fifth inning. Albies, who was 2-for-4, hit a ground-rule double to left that scored Ender Inciarte, who had walked and stole second.

The Rockies (5-5) were without center fielder Charlie Blackmon, who left Saturday’s game late with a strained back. It hurt the Colorado offense, which was limited to six hits, with Story and Nolan

Arenado each recording two.

Atlanta has won four of its last six games at Coors Field after enduring an 11-game losing streak in Denver from June 11, 2014, to Aug. 14, 2017.

Wolters’ bases-loaded walk leads Rockies past Braves in 10th

Catcher Tony Wolters walked with the bases loaded to bring home Carlos Gonzalez with the winning run in the 10th inning to give the Colorado Rockies a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field on Saturday.

With the bases loaded, Wolters took four straight balls from Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino (1-1). Wolters was 2-for-3 and made at least three run-saving plays behind the plate.

Adam Ottavino (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th and earned the win. He struck out one and hit a batter in his lone inning.

The loss ended Atlanta’s three-game winning streak and wasted a ninth-inning comeback.

The Braves tied the game in the ninth against Colorado closer Wade Davis, who blew his first save of the season. Davis issued a one-out walk to pinch hitter Kurt Suzuki and a single to Dansby Swanson, which sent speedy pinch runner Peter Bourjos to third. Ryan Flaherty then knocked in Bourjos with a line-drive single to center field.

The Rockies had runners at first and second with no outs against reliever A.J. Minter in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to score. Charlie Blackmon popped out while trying to bunt, and DJ LeMahieu lined into an inning-ending double play.

Atlanta had a runner on third in the 10th but failed to score against Ottavino. Ozzie Albies was hit by a pitch, stole second and took third when the throw went into center field. Nick Markakis was retired on a lineout to shortstop Trevor Story, who leaped high to make the catch.

Colorado starter Chad Bettis kept the Braves off stride for 5 2/3 innings before being relieved in favor of Mike Dunn, who retired the final out in the sixth inning. Bettis allowed only one run on four hits and two walks, with three strikeouts.

Atlanta starter Anibal Sanchez, a veteran who joined the team late in spring training, gave the Braves five quality innings in his first start for the team. He allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks. Sanchez struck out six.

Colorado took the lead with a run in the third on an RBI single by Nolan Arenado. But the third baseman ran the Rockies out of a rally when he was thrown out on the back end of a double-steal to diffuse a rally.

The Rockies took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Trevor Story’s solo homer to left-center field. It was his first career homer against Sanchez and gave him homers in back-to-back games.

Atlanta cut the lead in half with a run in the sixth. Pinch hitter Lane Adams walked and scored on Freddie Freeman’s double to left.