{"id":92121,"date":"2025-09-13T09:32:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T09:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=92121"},"modified":"2025-09-13T09:32:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T09:32:18","slug":"zach-coles-stunning-debut-leaping-catch-two-run-homer-spark-astros-11-3-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=92121","title":{"rendered":"Zach Cole’s stunning debut: Leaping catch, two-run homer spark Astros’ 11-3 win"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ATLANTA (AP) \u2014 It took Zach Cole one inning and one pitch to make an impact in the major leagues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cole made a leaping catch up against the left field wall in his first inning, and hit a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw in the third during the Houston Astros\u2019 11-3 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe guys were actually asking me, \u2018Where were you keeping this guy from us?\u2018\u201d Astros manager Joe Espada said. \u201cWe brought him up at the right time. Right now is when we need him. The guys really got excited. It really sparked our club.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cole went 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs. His home run came off rookie Hurston Waldrep, who entered the game with a 1.33 ERA in seven games. Cole hit a 93 mph fastball 423 feet to center field, knocking in Jake Meyers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He became the fifth Astro to homer on his first at-bat and first since Mark Saccomanno in 2008.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt was kind of a floating feeling,\u201d Cole said about his trip around the bases. \u201cI didn\u2019t really hear much of anything. It was a lot of adrenaline.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Cole, who played left field, said a lot of people told him what to expect on his first pitch, but he said he let his instincts take over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI only get one (first pitch) in my entire career and (I was thinking) whether or not I was going to swing, but I just kind of let the reaction take over,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I was very fortunate to catch it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He hit an RBI single with two outs in the third inning to give the Astros a 4-0 lead and added another two-out RBI single during the Astros\u2019 six-run fifth inning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cole said he had six or seven friends and family at Truist Park, and expects more to come in over the weekend, and then even more when the Astros return to Houston next week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He endured a friendly hazing after the game, getting put in a laundry cart and getting showered \u201cwith various things from the kitchen and bathroom. It was an awesome experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Cole\u2019s former teammates from Double-A Corpus Christi were in their clubhouse watching and were able\u00a0to celebrate Cole\u2019s home run.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI have a lot of good friends in that clubhouse, a lot of good coaches there,\u201d he said. \u201cI love those guys.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cole, a 10th round pick out of Ball State in the 2022 MLB draft, played 82 games for Corpus Christi, hitting 14 home runs with a .868 OPS. He was promoted to Triple-A Sugar Land and hit five home runs in 15 games, including a walk-off grand slam. He had a 1.204 OPS in his two-plus weeks, and earned a shot at the major leagues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to have him up here,\u201d Espada said before the game. \u201cI think he\u2019s earned the right to be up here. I think he\u2019s got the ability to light a little fire in our offense.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He certainly did that. The Astros had scored just eight runs in their previous four games before Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHe hit the ball the other way, then a single up the middle and made a nice play in the field,\u201d Espada said. \u201cHe\u2019s very confident. He handled himself well. I\u2019m proud of him. He\u2019ll get an opportunity tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ATLANTA (AP) \u2014 It took Zach Cole one inning and one pitch to make an impact in the major leagues. 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