Dream Job

Cox settling in as Kingwood Park’s OC heading into season

Cox settling in as Kingwood Park’s OC heading into season
Cox’s impact on players is evident both on the field and the diamond Vype

Originally appeared on Vype 

“What if I’m not good at this?”

That’s the burning question that crossed the mind of Bruce Cox as he sat inside the Kingwood Park weight room at 6 a.m. on the morning of October 19.

Cox later that night would be calling the plays as the Panthers’ newly appointed Offensive Coordinator trying to turn the tide of a team that was 1-3 coming off a bye week.

“At the end of the day when I got the play sheets and put on the headsets on on the sideline I was very confident in our plan and our kids, most importantly, and our assistant coaches we had,” Cox said as he watched fall practice progress on Tuesday afternoon. “Just went to work and it worked out.”

Cox’s offensive plan clicked from the beginning as Kingwood Park went 4-0 to close out the season – averaging 27 points per game – and made the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

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The Astros beat the Angels, 14-3. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Yainer Díaz hit his first career grand slam in a six-run fifth inning and the Houston Astros had a season-high scoring total in a 14-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Díaz, who entered the game with just one RBI this year, had three hits and drove in a career-high five runs in the victory.

The Astros trailed by 1 with two outs and two on in the fifth when they tied it on an RBI single by Yordan Alvarez that rolled just out of reach of a diving Tim Anderson.

Christian Walker followed with an RBI single to put the Astros up 3-2. Jack Kochanowicz (1-1) walked Jeremy Peña to load the bases and was lifted for Garrett McDaniels.

Díaz sent his third pitch into the concourse in left center field for his first homer this season to make it 7-2. It was Houston’s first grand slam since Jose Abreu’s in a 12-3 win over Texas on Sept. 6, 2023.

Díaz added an RBI double as the Astros tacked on four more runs in the sixth inning.

Rookie Cam Smith doubled in the sixth and his first career home run made it 13-3 in the eighth.

Mike Trout hit a solo homer in the fourth inning for the Angels to give him six this year which is tied with last season for his most home runs through the first 13 games. It was the team’s 19th home run combined in the last six games, which is a franchise record for a six-game span — topping the 18 they hit in six games in the 2003 season

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the second when Peña scored on a sacrifice fly by Jake Meyers.

Los Angeles tied it on Trout’s home run off the wall above the seats in left field to open the fourth inning.

Kyren Paris opened the fifth with a double and scored on a single by Jo Adell to put the Angels up 2-1 before Houston took the lead with its outburst in the bottom of the inning.

Houston starter Ronel Blanco (1-1) allowed four hits and two runs in five innings for the win.

Key moment

The grand slam by Díaz that broke the game open.

Key stat

Nine of Houston’s runs came with two outs.

Up next

Houston RHP Ryan Gusto (1-0, 1.13 ERA) opposes LHP Tyler Anderson (0-0, 4.50) when the series continues Saturday night.

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