Astros on 10th consecutive Opening Day victory: 'Game one, game won'

Powered by a productive night at the plate from third baseman Alex Bregman, the Houston Astros defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Thursday (April 7) to begin the 2022 regular season. 

Bregman, who missed many games last season because of injury, batted 2-for-4 with two RBI to lift Houston over its American League (AL) West rivals.

"Game one, game won," the Astros' official Twitter account proclaimed postgame.

Bregman's RBI single that scored outfielder Michael Brantley at the top of the third inning was the Astros' first run of 2022.

Before that, Brantley knocked the team's first hit of the season.

Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported that Bregman added to Houston's then-1-0 lead with a solo home run in the eighth inning.

Afterward, reigning AL Championship Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Yordan Alvarez smacked the go-ahead home run to put Houston ahead, 3-0, the station reported.

Left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez didn't disappoint in his first Opening Day start. 

While the Dominican hurler didn't pitch for more than three innings during his spring training appearances, he logged 6.2 innings on the mound on Thursday night. 

Valdez outdueled his Angels counterpart, incumbent AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, to the tune of 84 pitches and no runs surrendered, according to MLB.com.

The effort secured Valdez the win.

KPRC reported that closer Ryan Pressly earned the save. 

Pressly, a North Texas native, recently signed a two-year contract extension worth at least $30 million with the Astros, per MLB.com.

The game marked the debut of new starting shortstop Jeremy Peña. 

Last year's No. 1 MLB prospect, Peña succeeded Carlos Correa, who signed with the Minnesota Twins last month. 

The Astros are the only team in the modern era to string together 10 straight season-opening victories, matching a similar feat by the Boston Beaneaters from 1887 to 1896.