Marlins 2, Astros 0: Brad Hand allowed three hits over a career-high 7 1/3 innings and Jeff Mathis delivered a two-run double as visiting Miami took the opener of the three-game series.

Giancarlo Stanton and Donovan Solano collected two hits apiece while Jarrod Saltalamacchia added a double and scored a run as the Marlins won for the fifth time in six games. Hand (2-2) struck out four and walked a pair to earn the victory in his second consecutive start before Steve Cishek notched his 25th save.

Jason Castro, Gregorio Petit and Jose Altuve had the only hits for the Astros, who have lost three in a row and six of their last eight. Dallas Keuchel (9-7) yielded two unearned runs on nine hits and struck out seven in as many innings en route to his fourth loss in five decisions.

Saltalamacchia reached when Houston center fielder Enrique Hernandez misplayed his line drive with one out in the seventh inning and moved up on a passed ball. Adeiny Hechavarria legged out an infield hit with two down, and both scored when Mathis drilled a shot off the left-center field wall for a 2-0 lead.

Jeff Baker extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single that loaded the bases with none out in the eighth, but the Marlins could not add to the lead. Bryan Morris relieved Hand after Castro’s one-out double and retired the next two batters in the eighth before Cishek struck out two in a perfect ninth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Hand was 1-12 as a starter in his career before winning his last two outings in a span of six days. … Miami recalled C J.T. Realmuto and optioned RHP Anthony Desclafani to Triple-A New Orleans. … Altuve was caught stealing (by Mathis) for only the fifth time in 46 attempts this season after a challenge by Miami manager Mike Redmond overturned the original safe call in the sixth inning.