BEIJING — One more for gold. One more before goodbye.

Pushed to extra innings, the U.S. Olympic softball team scored four runs in the ninth inning and beat Japan, 4-1, today to move within one win of its fourth straight gold medal — in the sport's farewell for now.

Crystl Bustos hit a three-run homer — almost out of Fengtai Field — in the ninth inning as the Americans extended their Olympic winning streak to 22.

On a hazy, hot and humid morning, the U.S. team had to sweat like never before in this tournament.

Blanked for eight innings by Yukiko Ueno, the Americans (8-0) got an RBI single from Caitlin Lowe in the ninth before Bustos put it out reach to get the U.S. into softball's last gold-medal game until at least 2016.

The U.S. likely could play rival Japan again tomorrow for gold. Tonight the Japanese were scheduled to play Australia, a 5-3 winner over Canada, for the other berth in the finals.

"That was softball at its best," U.S. coach Mike Candrea said. "Great pitching, great defense, some great adjustments at the plate."

Tied after seven, the teams went to the international tiebreaker in the eighth as both began their at-bats with a runner at second base. Neither could score in the eighth, and they went to the ninth knotted.

The U.S. team started the inning with Natasha Watley on second and she scored when Lowe bounced a single off Japan shortstop Rei Nishiyama's glove and into center field, sending the American pouring out of the dugout in relief and celebration.

Jessica Mendoza walked and despite having first base open, Japan decided to pitch to Bustos, softball's greatest power hitter.

She made them pay when Ueno tried to overpower the American cleanup hitter, who connected for her fifth homer of these Games and the 13th of her three-Olympic career — a blast to left that landed about five rows from the top of the 10,000-seat stadium.

"I was waiting for that pitch," Bustos said. "I knew she was going to come with it."

TRACK AND FIELD

ANOTHER OFF DAY FOR AMERICAN ATHLETES

BEIJING — Lolo Jones was supposed to take the Olympic 100-meter hurdles title. Other entrants knew it. Jones knew it. Even told herself so right before the start, mouthing, "I can win this race," when she was introduced to the crowd.

Alas, the American's foot slammed into the ninth of 10 hurdles last night.

Jones dropped from first to seventh behind unlikely champion Dawn Harper of the United States, then dropped to her knees in despair, folding her body to the track and resting her head on her hands. There she stayed, all alone, for a few minutes.

"You hit a hurdle about twice a year where it affects your race," said Jones, who came in with the year's best time and an indoor world championship. "It's just a shame that it happened on the biggest race of my life."

Sanya Richards also was supposed to wear a gold medal for the U.S.

Richards was also about to win — taking a lead into the final 80 meters. That's when she began slowing and was passed, not once, but twice.

Richards blamed her fade on a tightening right hamstring. She wound up with a bronze behind Britain's Christine Ohuruogu and Jamaica's Shericka.

"I knew that gold was mine," she said. "I was already getting up and elated coming off the turn, because I know how my races usually go. I just had a really tough break on that one."

Tough breaks came twice Tuesday, for Richards and for Jones, in an Olympic track and field meet in which little has gone according to plan for the United States.

Men's high jumper Andrey Silnov of Russia failed to qualify for his country's team at its Olympic trials — but then turned in a season-best performance of 7 feet, 9 3/4 inches (2.38 meters) last month.

So the Russian federation ordered a "jump-off" between him and another athlete, and afterward, Silnov was put on the team.

Other golds yesterday went to Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain in the 1,500 meters, and Gerd Kanter of Estonia in the discus throw.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

BEIJING — Americans Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will play for the gold medal in beach volleyball. The reigning world champions beat Georgia, 21-11, 21-13, in the semifinal today in one of the quickest matches of the Olympics. The U.S. pair will play Friday against Marcio and Fabio, who upset Athens gold medalists and fellow Brazilians Emanuel and Ricardo, 22-20, 21-18, to reach the final. American's Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will play for the women's gold medal against China's Jia Tian and Jie Wang tomorrow.

MARATHON SWIM

BEIXIAOYING TOWN, China — Larisa Ilchenko of Russia won the gold medal in the women's 10-kilometer marathon swim today, an event making its Olympic debut. Ilchenko sprinted from behind in the closing meters and finished the grueling 6.2-mile race in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 27.7 seconds, in the shallow, calm water at the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park. Keri-Anne Payne of Britain took the silver in 1:59.40.7. Her teammate, Cassandra Patten, earned the bronze in 1:59.42.3. Natalie du Toit of South Africa, an amputee who removed her carbon-fiber prosthetic left leg before diving in, finished 16th.

WRESTLING

BEIJING — Henry Cejudo called it the American dream. The son of undocumented Mexican immigrants who had to work two jobs to keep food on the table, Cejudo gave the U.S. its first Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling in 16 years yesterday with a stunning win over Japan's Tomohiro Matsunaga in the 55-kilogram (121 pounds) final. "I'm living the American dream right now, man," Cejudo, wrapped in an American flag, said moments after his win. A joyful Cejudo, 21, broke into tears on the mat at the end of the match, then took a victory lap around the China Agricultural University Gymnasium. "This is what I always wanted," he said. "The frustration was let out. The hard work and everything.

GYMNASTICS

BEIJING — American Shawn Johnson, who has already won three sliver medals, finally got her gold yesterday, winning the balance beam. Nastia Liukin took the silver for her fifth medal of these Games and matched the most in history for an American female gymnast at a single Olympics. Mary Lou Retton did it in 1984 and Shannon Miller in 1992. China's men won two more events, with Zou Kai winning high bar and Li Xaiopeng winning parallel bars. For the meet, China took all but one men's event, the vault — in which there was no Chinese finalist. The United States got its only men's individual medal when Jonathan Horton took silver on high bar.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

BEIJING — Not that there was much doubt, but the U.S. women are headed back to the Final Four of this tournament. Sylvia Fowles had 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Americans yesterday, a 104-60 victory over South Korea. The Americans have made the medal round in every Olympics they've entered, and have won 31 straight games since losing in the 1992 semifinals. The Americans will play Russia in the semifinals tomorrow. Russia rallied to beat Spain, 84-65, last night. China plays Australia in the other semifinal.

BASEBALL

BEIJING — The Americans advanced to the medal round with a 4-2 victory over Taiwan yesterday, powered by John Gall's go-ahead homer and a solid outing by pitcher Brandon Knight. The final prelim test is today against medal favorite Japan. The semifinals start Friday.

DIVING

BEIJING — China is up to 6 for 6 in its bid for all eight golds. He Chong easily won the men's 3-meter springboard yesterday, getting 11 perfect marks of 10.0 in the six-round final. This is the fourth consecutive Olympics China has won this event. American Troy Dumais was sixth for the third straight Olympics. Teammate Chris Colwill was 12th and last.

MEN'S SOCCER

BEIJING — The final is set: Argentina vs. Nigeria. Argentina is headed back to the Olympic final with the chance to become the first nation in 40 years to defend its title — and to avenge a loss to Nigeria in the 1996 finals. Sergio Aguero scored goals six minutes apart in the second half and later set up another to lead Argentina past Brazil, 3-0. Nigeria advanced with a 4-1 victory over Belgium that included two scores from long distances.

SAILING

QINGDAO, China — Chinese windsurfer Yin Jian won the host nation's first-ever Olympic sailing gold medal today with a win in the women's RS:X class. Italy's Alessandra Sensini won the silver and Britain's Bryony Shaw scored bronze.