YOKOHAMA, Japan - Brandon Dickson, a 36-year-old nine seasons removed from the major leagues, was the first out of the bullpen and the first to stumble.
Edwin Jackson, a 37-year-old released by five big league teams, was the last.
Four of seven U.S. relievers combined to give up five runs as the United States blew a three-run lead in a 7-6 loss Monday night to Japan that pushed the Americans within a loss of Olympic elimination.
"We played a good game tonight," U.S. manager Mike Scioscia said. "There were some things that got away from us on the mound."
Japan overcame a short outing by Masahiro Tanaka. Yuki Yanagita tied it 6-6 with an RBI grounder in the ninth off Scott McGough and Fukuoka teammate Takuya Kai hit a winning single in the 10th against Jackson (0-1) that put the hosts in the semifinals.
Suguru Iwazaki, Koudai Senga, Yasuaki Yamasaki, Yudai Ohno and Ryoji Kuribayashi (1-0) combined for 5 1/3 innings of one-hit scoreless relief. The only blemish against Japan's bullpen was Triston Casas' second homer of the tournament, a three-run drive in the third. That put the U.S. ahead 6-3 against Koyo Aoyogi, who gave up five hits in one inning.
"They're talented guys. They can go out there and they compete with the best of them," said U.S. designated hitter Tyler Austin, in his second season with Yokohama after four major league seasons.
David Robertson, a 36-year-old former closer, stranded a runner at third in the ninth by striking out Ryosuke Kikuchi on a curveball in the dirt.
Scioscia brought in McGough, a 31-year-old former Miami reliever with 16 saves in his third season with the Central League's Yakult Swallows. He walked Seiya Suzuki with one out as rain started to fall, then allowed a single to Hideto Asamura that put runners at the corners. Yanagita's chopper to second drove in a run.
"David's been searching for a couple things," Scioscia said. "Scott knows these hitters and can go through the middle of the lineup. We have a lot of confidence in this guy. He just missed with a couple pitches that changed the complexion of that that ninth inning."
Under tournament rules, extra innings start with runners on first and second, an even more extreme distortion than the Major League Baseball runner-on-second rule used since the start of the 2020 pandemic season.
Kuribayashi retired Todd Frazier, Eric Filia and Mark Kolozsvary in order in the top of the 10th.
Ryoya Kurihara sacrificed off Jackson (0-1), a veteran of a record 14 major league teams. Kai, who had entered in the ninth after the starting catcher left for a pinch hitter, lined the next pitch over the five-man infield and off the right-field wall.
Neither McGough nor Jackson came to the interview room after the game.
Japan (3-0) will play South Korea (3-1) on Wednesday night for a spot in the final.
The U.S. (2-1) fell into the loser's bracket of the double-elimination second round. To reach this weekend's final, it must prevail Wednesday when it plays the winner of today's elimination game between the Dominican Republic (1-2) and Israel (1-3), and then again Thursday against the Japan-South Korea loser.