HOUSTON — Two games into the season, Xavier Nady has emerged as a nemesis for the Houston Astros.

Not even he can explain how.

Nady singled home Jason Bay for the go-ahead run off Dan Wheeler and homered for the second straight night, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 win over the Astros on Tuesday.

In Monday's opener, Nady hit the tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning off closer Brad Lidge. The Pirates won 4-2 in 10 innings.

"It's just one of those things," said Nady, who has knocked in a run with each of his three hits in the series. "It's still early and I'm just trying to give quality at-bats."

Pirates starter Ian Snell struck out a career-high 11, but didn't get a decision. He gave up Carlos Lee's RBI single in the sixth that gave Houston a 2-1 lead.

But the Astros' bullpen failed again — and this time, Lidge didn't even throw a pitch.

Wheeler (0-1) started the eighth and got Chris Duffy to pop out. Jack Wilson then beat out a bunt single and Bay walked before Adam LaRoche lined out.

Ronny Paulino singled to left to score Wilson and tie the game. Nady followed with an RBI single to right.

"It wasn't like he really got beat up," Houston manager Phil Garner said about Wheeler. "But those things are going to happen once in a while."

Jonah Bayliss (1-0) earned the win after retiring Craig Biggio to end the seventh. Salomon Torres earned his second save.

The Pirates started 0-6 last season and were 3-79 when trailing after seven innings. They've already won two such games this year and matched their best start since 2003, when they opened 4-0.

"This was two very good games for us," manager Jim Tracy said. "A lot of things are happening good. We did some things again tonight that took us a while to figure out last year."

Houston starter Jason Jennings retired the first five Pirates he faced before Nady homered in his second consecutive at-bat in Houston, sending a 2-0 pitch onto the left-field porch.

Snell was almost untouchable through the first five innings, striking out 10 of the first 15 Astros he faced.

Only 25, Snell was already making his 39th career start, and the experience is starting to show.

"Last year, I probably would've had a little bit of jitters in a game like this," he said.