.Japan scored the first four points of the third quarter, but then Moore starte

PHILADELPHIA -- A.J. Ellis, the Philadelphia Phillies recently acquired catcher, has made an immediate impact with his new team.The same cannot be said of Jake Thompson, the Phillies rookie right-hander.Thompson (1-3, 9.78) will be looking to get untracked Monday, when the Phillies open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals. Tanner Roark (13-7, 2.99) gets the start for the National League East leaders.Thompson, called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in early August, has not worked more than five innings, nor allowed fewer than three runs, in any of his four major league starts to date. His last time out he lost on the road to the Chicago White Sox, surrendering seven runs on eight hits in five innings while striking out two and walking four.In 19 1/3 innings to date, he has walked 13 while allowing 22 hits, a far cry from the form he showed at Lehigh Valley, where he gave up 105 hits and walked just 37 in 129 2/3 innings.Im not used to this, Thompson said after the loss to White Sox, according to Major League Baseballs official web site. The issue is pretty evident. Im not throwing strikes, and when I am throwing strikes, theyre not good strikes. Its coming back to the drawing board and figuring it out a little bit.Thompson has never faced Washington.Ellis, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for fellow catcher Carlos Ruiz last Thursday, belted a tie-breaking two-run double in the seventh inning of his first game with Philadelphia, a 5-1 road victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.It felt good regardless of whats happened in the last four days, Ellis said, according to MLB.com. It feels good to drive in runs, feels good to help put your team ahead and help contribute to a team win.Roark, a model of consistency most of the season for the Nationals, is winless in his last two starts. His last time out he absorbed a 10-8 loss to Baltimore, going five innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits while striking out four and walking three.It was Roarks shortest outing in his last six starts, and the most runs he has allowed in the same span. All five of those runs came in the first two innings, when he threw 62 pitches and hit three batters.I couldnt locate; it was as simple as that, Roark said, according to MLB.com. I was trying to go inside to get them off the plate and make them feel uncomfortable. Thats how I pitch. Obviously not my best outing. What I love is that we came back and came pretty darn close to tying it up or possibly winning it.Roark is 4-5 with a 4.35 ERA in 10 career games against the Phillies, eight of them starts.The Nationals comeback attempt also fell short Sunday, in a 5-3 loss to Colorado. They spotted the Rockies a 4-1 lead after three innings, but could muster only three solo homers, by Trae Turner, Wilson Ramos and Bryce Harper.Harpers homer, his 23rd of the season, was a leadoff shot off reliever Boone Logan in the ninth inning. Adam Ottavino, Logans successor, then retired Anthony Rendon, Ramos and Ryan Zimmerman, sending Washington to its sixth loss in eight games. Jordan 12 Cheap Real .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Cheap Air Jordan 12 Retro . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. http://www.wholesalejordan12.com/ .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Cheap Jordan Shoes China . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Cheap Jordan Shoes Free Shipping .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Diana Taurasi and the U.S. womens basketball team brushed aside yet another opponent at the Rio Games after being challenged for the first time in the Olympics, albeit for just one half.While Japan played the Americans tough in the first half, the end result was another blowout victory for the U.S., although the 110-64 dismantling of the Japanese team may have come at a cost.Point guard Sue Bird didnt play the second half after injuring her right knee in the second quarter. She told The Associated Press after the game that she felt a pop.Nothing really happened, Bird said of the play. I just felt the pop and anytime you feel that, its a little alarming. So going just to have to get it evaluated afterwards and see whats up. Truth I really have nothing to tell you. It happened so fast like. Is it possible I stepped on her shoe or she stepped on mine? I dont really remember but yeah it felt funny.U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said that they would evaluate the injury.I really dont know. I said well know on Wednesday, Auriemma said. Theres no way of knowing anything right now. Im sure Sues bummed out about it as you can imagine. Lets just wait and see.Coming into the quarterfinals, every U.S. game was virtually over at the half. Not this one.Japan, sticking to its up-tempo style of basketball, shooting 3-pointers and pushing the pace, trailed just 56-46 at halftime. But the Americans, who won their five group games by an average of 40.8 points, had just too much offensive firepower and eclipsed the 100-point mark for the fifth time in six games, outscoring Japan 54-18 in the second half.That is a really good team, they make you work, Taurasi said. They have a system of playing that Im really familiar with. ... We knew it would be a tough game. They put a lot of pressure on you and we felt it in the first half.The Americans, who will play France in the semifinals Thursday, have played nearly flawless basketball in Rio and their performances apparently have made an impression on Japan.The Japanese players posed for a team picture with the U.S. after the blowout -- the second straight opponent to get a postgame memento with the Americans. China took a photo after their game against the Americans in pool play. Its reminiscent of how opponents reacted to the Dream Team at the 1992 Barcelona Games.ddddddddddddI dont even know. Its the second time now in a row, said Bird. Yeah I dont know what happened.In the first 20 minutes against Japan, the Americans were challenged as the Asian nation wasnt afraid to try and run with them. The Japanese quickly got the ball up and down the court and hit open jumpers, taking it right at the No. 1 ranked team in the world.Just as the Americans seemed to be pulling away in the second quarter, opening up a double-digit lead, Japan responded with a 10-2 run.And they looked impressive doing it.Ramu Tokashiki -- who plays for the WNBAs Seattle Storm -- shook free from her defender for an easy backdoor layup that got Japan within 48-46 and capped the burst. It brought a loud contingent of Japanese fans to their feet.Thats as close as they would get. The U.S. (6-0) scored the final eight points of the half with the last four coming from Seimone Augustus, which brought cheers from?Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony?and several other members of the U.S. mens basketball team in attendance.Japan scored the first four points of the third quarter, but then Moore started a 10-0 run with five straight points. Brittney Griners layup capped the spurt and the U.S. never looked back.The Americans continued their torrid scoring pace and are still above the 102.4 mark set by the 1996 team that started the run of five gold medals and 47 consecutive Olympic wins.Tokashiki scored 14 points to lead Japan (3-3), which was playing its first Olympics since 2004. The three victories equaled the most ever for the team in the Games, which it will host in 2020.While this game provided the first real test for the Americans, their road to a sixth consecutive gold medal got a little bit easier when Australia lost to Serbia 73-71 early Tuesday. The Aussies had been the only team to hold a halftime lead over the U.S. at the Olympics in the past 16 years when they led by four in the semifinal game in the 2012 London Games. The U.S. won that game by 13. Serbia plays Spain in Thursdays other semifinal. ' ' '