ATLANTA -- Astros manager Joe Espada said pregame Friday that he hoped outfielder Zach Cole could “light a fire” in his team’s offense in his Major League debut. A few minutes later, general manager Dana Brown sat in the same spot in the Truist Park dugout and said that he hoped Cole could provide a “spark.”

Those were big expectations to put on a player who had played in only 15 games at the Triple-A level, but Cole quickly proved he was up to the assignment. Cole belted a tape-measure home run to right field on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues and wound up going 3-for-4 with four RBIs to lead the Astros to an 11-3 win over the Braves .

The win moved the Astros back to a half-game lead over the Mariners for first place in the AL West, with Seattle in action against the An

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