AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:29 p.m. EDT

Diggs scores 3 TDs for Bills in 41-7 rout of Titans

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw four touchdown passes, including three to Stefon Diggs, and the Buffalo Bills rolled past Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans 41-7 in their home opener. The Bills followed a season-opening 31-10 rout of the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams by throttling an opponent that has been their nemesis in each of the past two seasons. Fullback Reggie Gilliam and linebacker Matt Milano, with a 43-yard interception return, also scored touchdowns for Buffalo. Buffalo’s defense limited Tennessee to 182 yards of offense and 12 first downs, while registering two sacks and forcing four turnovers. The Titans fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2012.

Scherzer perfect for 6 in return, wins 200th as Mets clinch

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Max Scherzer was pulled from his 200th win with a perfect game intact, and the New York Mets clinched their first playoff berth in six years by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2. Reinstated from the injured list before the game, Scherzer struck out nine in six innings. The 38-year-old ace threw only 68 pitches, but that was as far as the NL East leaders let him go in his first start in 16 days. Christian Yelich doubled leading off the seventh against Tylor Megill. Pete Alonso hit a three-run homer off Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, and the Mets won their fifth straight to wrap up at least one of the three National League wild cards. They lead the NL East by one game over Atlanta.

Astros clinch AL West for 5th time in 6 years, beat Rays 4-0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Houston Astros clinched their fifth AL West title in six years, getting a leadoff home run from Jose Altuve in a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Headed to the postseason for the sixth straight season, Houston won for the eighth time in nine games and improved the AL’s best record to 97-51. Luis Garcia won his fifth straight decision, giving up two hits and four walks in five innings while striking out four. Hunter Brown and Héctor Neris finished a five-hitter, the Astros 16th shutout this season.

Bucs’ Evans suspended for dust-up with Saints’ Lattimore

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay receiver Mike Evans has been suspended without pay for one game for his role in a scuffle that resulted in him and New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore being ejected from the Buccaneers-Saints game. The NFL said Evans violated unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct rules by knocking Lattimore to the ground when the Buccaneers star intervened in a confrontation that initially involved Lattimore and Bucs teammates Tom Brady and Leonard Fournette. Evans, who can appeal the decision, was suspended for next Sunday’s home game against the Green Bay Packers.

Bills’ Dane Jackson taken to hospital with neck injury

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills cornerback Dane Jackson suffered a neck injury in a collision with a teammate and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. The team said Jackson had full movement in his limbs and was getting a CT scan and an X-ray at Erie County Medical Center. Jackson was hurt late in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans. He tackled receiver Treylon Burks from behind following a 12-yard catch. As Jackson lay on Burks’ back, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds dove in late and struck his teammate directly in the helmet. Jackson’s neck snapped back following the collision.

Lance has surgery as Niners hand offense to Garoppolo

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Trey Lance underwent season-ending surgery on his broken right ankle Monday, leaving the San Francisco 49ers to go ahead with the rest of the 2022 season with former starter Jimmy Garoppolo back in the helm. Lance got hurt in the first quarter of San Francisco’s 27-7 win over Seahawks when he kept the ball on a run play up the middle. The Niners said Lance had surgery Monday to repair a broken bone and ligament disruption and is expected to recover completely in time for a full return next season. But for now, the Niners are in Garoppolo’s hands.

Pass defense still a major problem after Ravens blow lead

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Baltimore ranked last in the NFL against the pass a season ago. After trying to bolster the secondary with offseason additions, the Ravens clearly still have a long way to go. Some of that is because the defensive backfield isn’t totally healthy. But in the fourth quarter of their 42-38 loss to Miami on Sunday, they allowed long touchdowns that shouldn’t happen against a team protecting a comfortable lead. The Ravens were beaten by receiver Tyreek Hill for touchdowns of 48 and 60 yards during the comeback.

Qatari ambassador faces LGBT-rights appeal before World Cup

BERLIN (AP) — Qatar’s ambassador to Germany has been urged to abolish his country’s death penalty for homosexuality at a human rights congress hosted by the German soccer federation two months before the Middle East country hosts the World Cup. Fan representative Dario Minden switched to English to directly address ambassador Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani at the congress in Frankfurt. Minden says “football is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re lesbian, if you’re gay. It’s for everyone. For the boys. For the girls. And for everyone in between. So abolish the death penalty. Abolish all of the penalties regarding sexual and gender identity.”

Column: Childress gets last laugh in snatching Kyle Busch

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch pulled into the Bristol Motor Speedway garage with a blown engine, effectively ending his storied tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing at 15 seasons. There’s still seven races remaining before Busch turns in the keys to the No. 18 Toyota. But two blown engines in the first three playoff races knocked him from contention, and from now until the November finale, Busch is just riding out the JGR string. He already has found a new home. Richard Childress Racing snapped up the only active driver with multiple Cup championships and expects Busch to elevate its organization immediately.

Mets have top payroll, Dodgers drop with Bauer suspension

NEW YORK (AP) — The Mets are on track to have baseball’s highest payroll for the first time since 1989. They are among a record-tying six teams set to pay a penalty. The Dodgers started the season as the top spender and fell into second due to Trevor Bauer’s suspension. According to updated figures through Aug. 31 complied by Major League Baseball, New York entered the last full month of the season with a $273.9 million payroll. The Dodgers are second at $267.2 million.

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