Sports News Roundup: Blaney advances in playoff, Thomas breaks leg and many more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Blaney advances in playoffs with Charlotte win

Ryan Blaney successfully navigated his way through a final-lap wreck that claimed the top two drivers, took the lead and went on to win the Bank of America Roval 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff race Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway's infield road course. The victory at Concord, N.C., in the cutoff event of the first round of the playoffs, gave Blaney automatic entry into the Round of 12 of the 10-race playoffs, which resume next weekend in Dover, Del.

NFL notebook: Thomas breaks a leg, makes an obscene gesture

Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas was carted off the field in the fourth quarter Sunday after what head coach Pete Carroll confirmed after the game was a fracture in the All-Pro's lower left leg. As he was being carted off, the 29-year-old Thomas made an obscene gesture toward his own team's sideline, raising his middle finger. It was unclear for whom the gesture was intended, as Thomas was on the other side of the field near the Arizona Cardinals' sideline.

Tennessee State LB Abercrombie in 'very critical condition'

Tennessee State linebacker Christion Abercrombie is in "very critical condition," as he recovers from emergency surgery after suffering a head injury, Tigers coach Rod Reed said Sunday on his radio show. Abercrombie complained to trainers about having a headache shortly before halftime of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt and collapsed a short time later. He was rushed to nearby Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., and underwent emergency surgery.

Nationals GM expects Martinez to return as manager

Dave Martinez is expected to return as manager for the Washington Nationals next season, general manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday. "We haven't considered anything else," Rizzo told reporters in comments published by the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.

Scioscia steps down as Angels manager

Mike Scioscia said Sunday after the season finale that he will not return as manager of the Los Angeles Angels, sparking an outpouring of praise from people who have worked with him in the organization for most of the last two decades. The announcement ends months of speculation about the future of Scioscia, 59, who has led the Angels for the past 19 seasons. After a 5-4 home win on Sunday against the Oakland A's, Scioscia finishes with a 1,650-1,428 regular-season record. He guided the franchise to a World Series championship in 2002.

U.S. Ryder Cup loss raises old questions

A change in PGA Tour schedule will ensure the American players are fresher at future Ryder Cups, but that alone will not guarantee future success, particularly when the biennial event against Europe is held away from home. It certainly did not help that 11 of the 12 members of the losing United States team at Le Golf National arrived jet-lagged directly from the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour.

UMass suspends the coach for rape analogy

University of Massachusetts head football coach Mark Whipple was suspended without pay for one week by the school on Sunday, a day after he drew an analogy to rape while discussing a sequence in his team's game. On UMass' radio broadcast after the Minutemen's 58-42 loss at Ohio University, Whipple referred to a play on which he believed the Bobcats should have been flagged for pass interference, saying, "We had a chance there ... and they rape us, and (the referee) picks up the flag."

NFL roundup: Texans, Titans, Raiders work OT for wins

Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired in overtime, and the visiting Houston Texans pulled out a 37-34 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, halting a nine-game winless streak that dated back to last November. Houston (1-3) benefited from the odd decision of Colts coach Frank Reich to attempt a fourth-down conversion at the Indianapolis 43-yard line inside the final minute. Andrew Luck was errant on his pass attempt, and Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson answered with a 19-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins to set up the game-winning kick.

Europe beat the United States to regain Ryder Cup

Europe regained the Ryder Cup as captain Thomas Bjorn's team reached the 14.5 points they required to beat the United States at a packed Le Golf National on Sunday. Leading 10-6 going into the 12 singles matches there were some nervous moments on an exciting afternoon as the Americans occasionally threatened a comeback.

MLB roundup: Two NL tiebreaker games set

Charlie Blackmon hit an RBI double in the eighth inning to complete the cycle, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Washington Nationals 12-0 on Sunday in Denver to tie the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West. Blackmon tripled in the first, homered in the third and singled in the fifth to help Colorado make quick work of the Nationals and force an extra game for the division crown.

(With inputs from agencies.)