Seattle 1 at Houston 2 - Recap

HOUSTON -- Backed by a pair of home runs, right-hander Lance McCullers pitched the Houston Astros to a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.

While McCullers (1-0) worked six strong innings, catcher Brian McCann and first baseman Marwin Gonzalez delivered opposite-field home runs off Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (1-0) to provide all the offense Houston needed.

It marked a second consecutive game where the Astros struck for two solo homers against a Mariners starter.

McCann, batting left-handed, took Iwakuma deep with one out in the third inning, depositing a 1-1 pitch into the Crawford Boxes in left field. The switch-hitting Gonzalez pulled the same trick leading off the sixth inning, drilling a 0-1 pitch to left field.

Iwakuma allowed four hits and walked three batters against two strikeouts in six innings.

The Mariners proved unable to rally against the Houston bullpen, with right-handers Will Harris, Luke Gregerson and Ken Giles preserving the one-run lead. Giles earned his second save of the season.

McCullers expressed excitement over being healthy enough to make his first Opening Day roster and take his place in the rotation after elbow woes cost him the final two months of last season. His 2017 debut got off to a rousing start.

With five strikeouts over his first three innings, McCullers faced just one batter over the minimum. He ran into trouble in the fourth inning, surrendering a leadoff double to Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger to start a 21-pitch frame. Mitch Haniger eventually scored the tying on an infield single by first baseman Danny Valencia.

McCullers recovered to eluded the bases-loaded jam by inducing a ground-ball out from catcher Mike Zunino and worked around two baserunners in both the fifth and sixth innings. His final line didn't fully reflect he trouble he sidestepped, with McCullers allowing one run on five hits and two walks (one intentional) with seven strikeouts over six innings.

McCullers threw 61 of 88 pitches for strikes.

NOTES: Seattle moved LHP Drew Smyly to the 60-day disabled list and claimed RHP Evan Marshall off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Smyly is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks with a flexor strain. Marshall was 0-1 with an 8.80 ERA over 15 appearances last season. ... Astros OF/DH Carlos Beltran made his first start in left field. Houston manager A.J. Hinch said during spring training Beltran would start 30-40 home games in left but backtracked a bit on Tuesday, saying 40 games "might be aggressive." With Beltran in left, Nori Aoki was on the bench while Evan Gattis, who will make his first start behind the plate on Wednesday, was the designated hitter. ... Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez underwent treatment for his groin after departing his start early on Monday night with groin tightness. While Seattle manager Scott Servais remains hopeful that Hernandez won't miss a turn in the rotation, he described the situation as "wait and see."