Most professional athletes have great memories. Engage them in conversation about a particular game during their career, and they can give you details about every minute of the entire day, starting with what they had for breakfast.

They also remember anything negative said about them or the team from opposing coaches, players, owners, etc. It usually is stored in the back of their minds and used to fuel them when they face the team or player who spewed the vitriol.

The Houston Astros players had their memories jogged in the top of the eighth inning of their 2022 Opening Day game against the Los Angeles Angels when reliever Ryan Tepera took the mound for the Angels with his team trailing 1-0.

Tepera was a reliever for the Chicago White Sox in 2021 that alluded to the Astros using techniques to steal signs inside of Minute Maid Park during the American League Division Series. He claimed that there was something "a little bit different" about how the Astros were able to get hits in Houston.

Two players on that team that Tepera "softly" accused of cheating reminded him that they had not forgotten the comments he made as they let their bats do all the talking for them. Third baseman Alex Bregman hit a first-pitch four-seam fastball 363 feet into left field to increase the Astros lead to 2-0.

Before Bregman could finish celebrating his first home run of the 2022 season, his teammate Yordan Alvarez launched a Tepera slider 422 feet into deep center field.

That was enough run support for the Astros as they defeated the Angels 3-1 to win their 10th consecutive Opening Day game since moving to the American League before the 2013 season. The victory also ties Houston with the Boston Beaneaters for major league history's longest opening day winning streak.

The back-to-back homers will be highlighted on most sports shows recaps, but the game's hero was starting pitcher Framber Valdez (1-0), who pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings allowing only two hits. He retired 15 batters in a row with a strong command of the strike zone and outdueled, reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani, who was relieved after pitching 4 2/3 innings.

"That guy, he's a beast," said catcher Martín Maldonado about Valdez. "He goes out there and he doesn't talk too much. He just executes pitches."

Valdez, who made his first Opening Day start Thursday night, almost cost himself a shutout in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Angels Mike Trout reached base on a throwing error by rookie shortstop Jeremy Peña, Valdez worked deep into the count against third baseman Anthony Rendon.

It looked like Los Angeles would take the lead when Rendon hit a curveball towards the left-field line that barely missed being a home run by inches. After gathering himself, Valdez would get out of the jam when Rendon hit into a double play.

"When I saw the ball flying in the air, I got mad with myself that I didn't make my best pitch," Valdez said after the game. "I just took a deep breath and threw my best pitch."

Astros relievers Phil Maton and Ryan Pressly would finish the game for Valdez, allowing one run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Houston will be back in action against Los Angeles Friday as starter Jake Odorizzi will take the mound for the Astros.