Mariners 9, Astros 8: Michael Saunders laced a tiebreaking two-run double and Justin Smoak hit a two-run homer during an eight-run seventh inning as visiting Seattle knocked off Houston.

Robinson Cano also drove in two runs for the Mariners, who won for the sixth time in eight games. Jonathan Villar had a homer and three RBIs and Marwin Gonzalez went 3-for-3 for the Astros.

Hisashi Iwakuma (1-0) was charged with four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings in his first outing of the season. Fernando Rodney retired Jose Altuve on a fly to right with the bases loaded to end the eighth and struck out two in the ninth for his seventh save.

Houston led 2-1 after six innings before Dallas Keuchel (2-2) walked the first three batters in the seventh and reliever Jose Cisnero walked Mike Zunino to knot the score. Saunders followed with his double, Stefen Romero and Cano delivered RBI singles and Kyle Seager smacked a run-scoring double before Smoak capped the uprising with a mammoth blast to left.

The Astros tallied four times in the bottom of the inning as Chris Carter hit a solo homer, Villar hit a two-run shot and Dexter Fowler had an RBI single. Carter blasted a run-scoring triple off the hill in center in the eighth to pull Houston within two and scored on Alex Presley’s line single to right.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon was ejected in the seventh inning, apparently for complaining about the stalling tactics of Houston manager Bo Porter prior to Keuchel being removed. … Keuchel was charged with four runs and four hits in six-plus innings and didn’t walk anybody prior to the seventh. … LHP Lucas Luetge was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to open a roster spot for Iwakuma.