US stage comeback to beat Japan for gold

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Sydney: The United States scored in extra innings on Tuesday to edge upstart Japan 2-1 and win their second straight Olympic gold medal.

Japan, who had gone undefeated through the tournament, had taken a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, only to see the United States tie the game in the bottom of the fifth and then score again in the bottom of the eighth to win the gold.

The win was a remarkable turnaround for the United States, who had qualified fourth for the playoff round with a 4-3 record.

The unheralded Japanese were unbeaten through the tournament until the final game, having ended a u.s. 112-game winning streak in the preliminary round, their first win over the powerful Americans in 30 years.

But the United States crushed their hopes when Laura Berg drove Stacey Nuveman in with a hit to left field in the bottom of the eighth.

Host Australia won the bronze after losing 0-1 on Monday to the United States in the game to see who played against Japan for gold.



(c) Reuters Limited.