RIO DE JANEIRO -- U.S. womens water polo coach Adam Krikorian shook his head in disgust after an ugly turnover in the third. He put in five new swimmers after China scored in the fourth, and then clapped his hands at his bench as if trying for a late wake-up call.And it hardly mattered. The United States was in complete control right from the start, never in danger of losing to overmatched China. It turns out winning isnt the only thing for the defending world and Olympic champions.Were more concerned with how we play and trying to be as consistent as possible, Krikorian said after the United States 12-4 victory on Thursday. I dont think I saw that in the second half and when you play every other day, theres no reason to rest. Were getting plenty of rest on our off days and we just got to keep it into a high gear there.The United States improved to 36-2 in 2016 with its 18th straight victory, rolling to titles on three continents before beating Spain 11-4 in its Olympic opener on Tuesday. It has scored in double figures 17 times during its win streak, totaling 231 goals overall and outscoring opponents by an average of seven goals.Captain Maggie Steffens dismissed any notion of complacency as the U.S. tries to become the first country to win consecutive Olympic titles in womens water polo.Each game is a gold-medal game, Steffens said. Each game is an opportunity for us to represent the USA, and thats the motivation.Steffens scored three of her four goals as the United States jumped to a 7-1 lead at the break. The team grew more careless with the ball as the game went along, including the third-quarter turnover during a rare 6-on-4 power play that prompted Krikorians exasperated reaction.We had too many turnovers that game, U.S. attacker Kaleigh Gilchrist said. China capitalized on a few, but they could have capitalized on a lot more, and knowing as we go ahead opponents are going to try to look to do that, so we have to tighten a few things up.The United States only two losses so far this year are to Australia, 5-4 on May 26 in California and 5-4 on May 31 in China. The Aussie Stingers lost 8-7 to Italy on Thursday, a potentially costly result that could force them into a semifinal matchup with the United States.Australias Rowie Webster tied it at 7 with 2:37 to go, but Roberta Bianconi had a power-play goal for Italy with 34 seconds remaining.I think the game was won and lost in the extra-man goals that they scored and we potentially missed, Webster said.Australia faces winless Brazil on Saturday on the final day of the preliminary round. Italy, which leads Group A with four points, takes on Russia, Spain plays against China, and the United States faces Hungary. The quarterfinals begin Monday.Italys Giulia Gorlero, splashing the water at times in celebration or frustration, had 10 saves in the victory over the Aussies.Our match is very important for us, Golero said through a translator. But thats not enough. ... Our tournament starts in the quarterfinals.Also Thursday, Ekaterina Prokofyeva and Evgeniya Ivanova scored three goals apiece to lead Russia to a 14-7 win against Brazil, and Judith Forca Ariza scored in the fourth to help Spain hold on for an 11-10 victory over Hungary.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap White 40 Oz Hydro Flask . Newcastle dominated in the early stages but City weathered the storm and then raised its game in extra time. Negredo broke the deadlock from close range after a simple move in the 99th minute before Dzeko took the ball round goalkeeper Tim Krul to seal the victory in the 105th. Cobalt Blue Hydro Flask . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. http://www.cheaphydroflaskstore.com/pink-hydro-flask.html . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Hydro Flask Blueberry . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. 24 OZ Graphite Hydro Flask . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies will try to build on their walk-off win Friday night and clinch their series with the San Diego Padres on Saturday.The Rockies scored three runs in the ninth inning against Padres closer Brandon Maurer for an 8-7 victory. The winning hit was a pinch-single off the center-field wall by Daniel Descalso.The veteran infielders playing time has increased dramatically in the wake of shortstop Trevor Storys season-ending thumb injury on July 30. Descalso, who turns 30 next month, is in the final season of a two-year, $3.6 million contract after four full seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.With St. Louis, Descalso played in 44 postseason games -- 25 more than the Rockies in their history -- including nine World Series games.Hes a winning player, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. Thats why we brought him in. One of the few guys in (the clubhouse) thats played in World Series.Descalso hit just .205 with a .607 OPS in 101 games and 185 at-bats last year. But this season, he has made 55 starts and has 206 at-bats in 85 games and is hitting .272 with an .820 OPS. With runners in scoring position this season, Descalso is hitting .415 (22-for-53) with 32 RBI.Descalso said he spent time in the offseason studying the swings of several players, including Josh Donaldson, the reigning Most Valuable Player in the American League, Mookie Betts and former Cardinals teammate Matt Carpenter, and talking with former Cardinals teammate Jon Jay, now a member of the Padres.I just found a swing that I can repeat and that I feel confident in, said Descalso, whose swing is more rhythmic because he begins it after some motion with his hands that he lacked last year. It has just allowed me to simplify my at-bats and just worry about getting good pitches to hit and putting good swings on it instead of worrying about whats wrong with my swing and my timing. Its just put me in a simpler mind set and simpler approach.Jon Gray, who is 9-8 with a 4.69 ERA, will start for the Rockies. He lost his last start on Sept. 10 in San Diego, giving up six runs (five earned) in four innings.Weiss said after that outing, Gray and pitching coach Steve Foster and bullpen coach Darren Holmes worked on some minor mechanical things.ddddddddddddOts more about timing issues over the rubber, Weiss said. Thats one of the things Jon has to really be in tune with. That affects his slider. When he doesnt have his slider, it makes it tough for him.His sliders a wipeout pitch, but its been inconsistent at times this year. When he has that pitch, everything else kind of falls in place for him and he can be dominant. So, hopefully, we got that rectified.Gray is 1-2 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against the Padres this year, including a June outing at Coors Field where he allowed three runs (one earned) in seven innings. Gray is 6-2 with a 4.82 ERA in 13 starts at Coors Field this season.Edwin Jackson will start for the Padres. Hes 4-5 with a 5.32 ERA in 18 games, including 10 starts.Two starts ago, the well-traveled Jackson, 33, made a mechanical adjustment to the end of his delivery. He then worked seven scoreless innings against Boston on Sept. 5, striking out 11, the most by a Padres pitcher this season, and allowing four hits and two walks while getting the victory in San Diegos 2-1 win.On Sept. 11, Jackson allowed two runs in six innings against the Rockies but wasnt involved in the decision as the Padres lost 3-2 in 10 innings.Padres first baseman Wil Myers hit his 25th homer on Friday, a two-run shot in the first inning. Myers joined Mike Trout as the only major leaguers with at least 25 doubles, 25 homers and 25 stolen bases this year. Myers, who has 26 doubles and 25 stolen bases, is the first Padres first baseman to reach those three milestones.Its something thats definitely pretty cool, Myers said. I definitely didnt have that goal in mind when I started the season. But as I learned more about stealing bases, it kind of became one.Myers also became the third first baseman in major league history to have 25 or more doubles, homers and stolen bases in a season. Jeff Bagwell and Joe Carter are the others. ' ' '