DENVER _ Dansby Swanson had two hits including a two-run double and Nick Markakis hit the longest home run he's hit in his three seasons with the Braves.
But it took an eighth-inning error from a most unlikely source, Rockies four-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado, to help the Braves' finally change their fortunes at Coors Field.
Brandon Phillips hustled to score the go-ahead run from second base when Arenado bounced an errant throw to first on Tyler Flowers' two-out grounder in the eighth inning, and the Braves held on for a 4-3 win that snapped their 11-game losing streak at Coors.
It had been three years and two months since the Braves won at the downtown Denver ballpark, and they'd gone 2-15 overall in that span _ home and road _ against the Rockies including four-game sweeps each of the past two seasons at Coors.
Rookie starter Sean Newcomb gave up a career-high three homers but all were with bases empty, and the Rockies got only two other hits against him in six innings. The big lefty had four walks (one intentional) and eight strikeouts, earning a no decision, though at least the Braves snapped a streak of seven consecutive losses in Newcomb starts.
He hadn't allowed more than one homer in the majors in any start before Tuesday, but that stuff happens at Coors Field.
Swanson gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in the second inning with his two-out, two-run double, after the Braves went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the 3-0 loss in Monday's series opener.
The Rockies reclaimed the lead with solo homers in the fourth and fifth innings before Markakis tied the score with his two-out homer to center field in the sixth inning, a long drive that cleared a fence that was nearly doubled in height before the 2016 season to decrease the number of homers at Coors. It was his seventh home run of the season and sailed an estimated 429 feet.
After the Braves turned a nifty 3-6-3 double play following a leadoff single in the seventh inning _ strong throws from Freddie Freeman and Swanson and a quick turn by the shortstop _ the Braves took advantage of a rare mistake from the Rockies' rock-solid third baseman in the eighth.
Brandon Phillips doubled against reliever Pat Neshak with one out in the eighth and Freeman followed with a line drive that looked like it might land in the left-field corner for extra bases and a go-ahead RBI, at least until Gerardo Parra swooped in with a running catch. Phillips had to retreat to second.
But with two out, Flowers bounced a grounder to Arenado, who had plenty of time and bounced a throw that first baseman Reynolds couldn't handle, allowing Phillips to come around from second and score as the ball caromed off Reynolds and rolled toward the Rockies' dugout.
Before Tuesday, the Braves' last win at Coors Field was June 10, 2014, when they hit three homers in a 13-10 slugfest. Since then they were 0-for-Denver, totaling just 28 runs in 11 losses at arguably the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the majors, including more than three runs just once in an 8-4 loss last July.
They got to four again Tuesday, and this time it was just enough as Sam Freeman, Jose Ramirez and Arodys Vizcaino pitched a scoreless innings apiece with Vizcaino earning his fifth save in as many chances since taking over the closer duties from Jim Johnson at the beginning of August.
