Zach Cole aces MLB debut as Astros pound Braves

Zach Cole homered on the first pitch he saw in his major league debut and finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs to help the visiting Houston Astros post an 11-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday.

Christian Walker went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs for Houston (80-68), which pulled into a brief half-game lead over the Seattle Mariners atop the American League West. Seattle hosts the Los Angeles Angels later Friday night. Jose Altuve also homered for Houston.

After opener Jayden Murray threw three scoreless innings, AJ Blubaugh (3-1) pitched a scoreless fourth as four Astros combined to limit Atlanta (65-82) to five hits.

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 16th homer in the sixth to highlight a 2-for-4 night. Hurston Waldrep (4-1) allowed eight runs on eight hits across 4 2/3 innings while striking out four and walking two. Waldrep hadn't allowed more than two runs in any of his six starts entering Friday. The series-opening loss ensured Atlanta's first losing season since 2017. Eli White hit his ninth homer in the eighth.

After Jake Meyers walked to begin the third, Cole homered on the first pitch he saw, crushing Waldrep's cutter for a 423-foot shot to give Houston a 2-0 lead.

Altuve's leadoff single in the fourth was followed with Walker and Meyers' two-out singles that extended Houston's advantage to 3-0. Cole followed with an RBI single to push the lead to four.

Houston tacked on two more off Waldrep in the fifth as Walker blooped a two-run single to give the Astros a 6-0 lead and chase the Atlanta starter from the game.

Meyers, Cole and Mauricio Dubon greeted reliever Dane Dunning with back-to-back-to-back RBI singles to push Houston's lead to 10-0.

Altuve's solo blast off Dunning in the sixth -- his 25th homer of the season -- gave the Astros an 11-run cushion.

--Field Level Media