Lamar Miller finishes off his 97-yard run. Bob Levey/Getty Images
Lamar Miller's resurgent 2018 season continued on Monday Night Football as the Texans veteran back made team history on their way to pushing the AFC's longest win streak to eight.
With the Texans lead of four points in danger, the defense came up big stopping the Titans on a fourth down. The ensuing play was history for the Texans, but familiar for Lamar Miller. He took a handoff and burst through the line on the right side for a 97-yard touchdown. It was the longest play in the history of the franchise. Miller, in 2014, was the last player to rush for a 97-yard score. Miller said he was well aware he was the last player to go 97 yards for a score.
"They did a great job getting movement up front and I was just trying to be decisive and make a play," Miller said.
"I was just thinking 'don't get caught, just keep running," he said with a laugh. In previous weeks teammates had joked with him about being caught from behind by defenders.
"I haven't run like that in a long time," Miller joked.
The Texans have had a balanced attack for weeks and when the rushing attack gets going, the passing attack appreciates it.
"It just opened up the whole offense," said Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
He finished the day with 12 carries for 162 yards and the long score. His 13.5 yards per carry average was the best of his career. The team set a single-game franchise record for rushing with 281 yards.
Miller was decisive and explosive. Much more the player the Texans hoped they would get when they signed him from Miami than he has been in his time with the team the past two seasons. This has been a huge development for the Texans offense the past few weeks on offense as he's forced teams to respect the rushing attack opening things up for the passing game.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.