Will Fuller had a terrific game. Bob Levey/Getty Images
The Dolphins had closed the gap to just four on a trick play that baffled the Texans. Danny Amendola caught a lateral and tossed a long floater for a touchdown. The Texans saw their lead trimmed to four and momentum swaying to the Dolphins. Then Will Fuller happened.
After a rush for two yards by Alfred Blue, Deshaun Watson faked the handoff and quickly saw Will Fuller streaking across the field. What followed was a perfectly thrown pass and the receiver being so far ahead of the play he walked in for the score. Watson to Fuller for the 11th time in their career. This one for 73 yards and a resounding answer to the Dolphins.
Fuller had plenty of important catches but none more important than the long score. It was an important rebuttal for a team that has rarely showcased the ability to respond so quickly and effectively.
The bad news though, Fuller would leave the game in the fourth quarter after drawing a pass interference penalty. He appeared to injure his right knee on the play and went to the locker room. He would not return. He finished the day with five catches for 124 yards and the one score.
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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.