Michael Brantley clubbed a three-run home run in support of Justin Verlander, who worked six solid innings to pace the Houston Astros to an 8-2 victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners on Friday in the season opener for both teams.

Brantley drove home Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman by drilling a 2-1 splitter from Seattle's Zac Grotz into the right field seats with one out in the fifth inning. Grotz entered in relief of Marco Gonzales (0-1), who departed after surrendering an RBI single to Altuve that tied the game 2-2 earlier in the inning.

Bregman greeted Grotz with a go-ahead single before Brantley's blast.

Gonzales was charged with four runs (three earned) on five hits and one walk over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out two.

Brantley finished 2-for-3 and joined Martin Maldonado, who recorded a pair of RBI singles, in producing multi-hit and multi-RBI games.

Verlander (1-0), making his 12th career Opening Day start, proved effective and efficient. He surrendered just three hits, including solo home runs to Mariners rookie center fielder Kyle Lewis leading off the second inning and veteran third baseman Kyle Seager with one out in the fourth.

The 37-year-old right-hander issued one walk and notched seven strikeouts while throwing 73 pitches, including 48 for strikes.

In the sixth, Verlander fell behind 3-0 to Seager with one out and Shed Long on first base following his leadoff single. But Verlander rallied with consecutive called strikes before getting Seager to ground into an inning-ending double play to cap his start.

Lewis socked his seventh career home run 438 feet onto the train tracks above the Crawford Boxes in left. He homered six times in 71 at-bats following his Sept. 10 debut last season.

Four pitchers made their major league debuts: Anthony Misiewicz and Yohan Ramirez for the Mariners, Blake Taylor and Enoli Paredes for the Astros.

Houston's Chris Devenski, Taylor and Paredes each threw a scoreless inning to close out the win.

--Field Level Media