AP Thursday Sports Roundup

Team USA tested in men's hoops...Third gold medal for Ledecky...Phelps, Lochte advance

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The blowouts are over. The Olympics are underway for real in basketball.

After nothing but pushovers this summer, the U.S. men's basketball team faced someone who pushed back.

The U.S. men's basketball team is 3-0 at the Olympics after rallying to beat Australia 98-88 for its 20th straight victory in Olympic competition. Carmelo Anthony scored 14 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter and Kyrie (KY'-ree) Irving added 17 points and five assists.

In his fourth Olympics, Anthony became the most prolific scorer in U.S. men's Olympic basketball history. He passed LeBron James, who skipped a chance to play in his fourth games after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA title this season. James scored 273 points during appearances in Athens, Beijing and London.

"We showed a lot of character tonight," Irving said of the come-from-behind victory.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski (shuh-SHEF'-skee) agreed, saying: "This is the real world now and that's good for us."

Next up for Team USA is Serbia on Friday with another group game Sunday against France before the medal round begins.

In other Olympic action:

— Superstar swimmer Michael Phelps has advanced to the final of the Olympic 200-meter individual medley as the top qualifier. Long-time rival Ryan Lochte (LAHK'-tee) will be right next to him again, ranking second. Thiago Pereira sent the Brazilian crowd into a frenzy by staying close to the two American stars, finishing third.

Phelps will be seeking his fourth straight 200 IM title at the Olympics. He's also got a chance to pull off that feat in the 100 butterfly. Phelps already has won three gold medals this week, and owns 21 gold medals in his Olympic career.

— Katie Ledecky has led the United States to a gold medal in the women's 4-by-200-meter freestyle relay. It's her third gold of this Olympics.

— A gutsy performance by Kristin Armstrong provided the American with her third consecutive gold medal in Olympic cycling time trial.

Racing through wind and rain over a demanding course, the soon-to-be 43-year-old finished just 5.55 seconds in front of a Russian. Armstrong also won in Beijing and London.

Armstrong joins speedskater Bonnie Blair as the only American women to win three gold medals in the same event at any Olympics.

— The American men will be seeking gold in the 200-meter breaststroke and the 100-meter freestyle, while the women will be competing in the 200-meter butterfly and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

— American Sam Dorman and Mike Hixon won the silver medal in men's 3-meter synchronized springboard diving. They finished four points behind the gold medalists from Britain. Favored China took the bronze.

— Diana Taurasi drained a personal Olympic-best six 3-pointers as the Americans Serbia 110-84 in women's basketball. Taurasi wound up with 25 points to help the U.S. to its 44th straight Olympic win.

— In beach volleyball, Americans Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross have finished the Olympic group stage unbeaten, but not before losing their first set of the Summer Games. The U.S. women beat Switzerland 21-13, 22-24, 15-12 to win their pool with a 3-0 record. The round-of-16 begins Friday.

— Nico Hernandez is assured of at least a bronze medal in boxing after beating Ecuador's Carlos Quipo to improve to 3-0. The medal will be the first in the Olympic boxing tournament for the United States since 2008.

— The United States women's field hockey team has advanced to the Olympic quarterfinals after defeating Japan 6-1.

— The American beach volleyball team of Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson has been eliminated from the Olympics on a tiebreaker. They are the first U.S men's team to fail to advance out of pool play in beach volleyball since the 2004 Games in Athens.

— Bad weather washed out 20 of the 26 tennis matches that were on today's schedule. And the rowing schedule has also been postponed due to the weather.

— Kazakhstan (kah-zahk-STAHN') has its first Olympic swimming medal -- a gold one, at that. Dmitriy Balandin pulled off a stunning upset in the men's 200-meter breaststroke. Josh Prenot of the United States claimed silver.

— Rio Olympic officials say military police are stepping up security after a bus carrying journalists had two windows broken by what it calls "unknown projectiles." Organizers say a preliminary analysis has shown that stones, not bullets, hit a bus carrying journalists, breaking two windows.

MLB-RANGERS-FIELDER

Neck injuries end Fielder's career

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — An emotional Prince Fielder says he will not be able to come back after a second neck surgery and will have to end his 12-year major league career.

The 32-year old Texas Rangers slugger wept while announcing he won't be able to continue playing.

Fielder was one of the most durable players in the majors when Texas acquired from Detroit after the 2013 season for second baseman Ian Kinsler.

The first baseman had played at least 157 games every year since 2006, and appeared in 809 of 810 possible games the previous five seasons before joining the Rangers.

But Fielder was limited to 289 games in Texas, including the two season-ending neck surgeries.

He will finish his career with 319 career homers, the same number that his father, Cecil, had playing one more season but 141 fewer games.

MLB-SCHEDULE

Nine straight for the Cubs...Giants and Blue Jays back in first...Happ first 16-game winner

UNDATED (AP) — Jason Hammel won his career-best fifth straight start, pitching four-hit ball over six scoreless innings, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 for their season-high ninth straight win. Hammel improved to 12-5.

The major league-leading Cubs matched their longest streak since Aug. 6-15 of last year and moved a season-best 30 games over .500 at 71-41. They start a four-game set against St. Louis Thursday night at Wrigley Field with three straight series sweeps after consecutive victories over the Angels.

In other major league action:

— Jeff Samardzija (suh-MAHR'-juh) and four relievers combined on a five-hitter to lead San Francisco to a 1-0 win over Miami to pitch the Giants back into first place. The Giants moved back atop the NL West, a game ahead of the Dodgers. Brandon Crawford homered in the fourth inning for the Giants who won a series for the first time since the All-Star break.

— Freddy Galvis hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2. Ryan Howard added a three-run, pinch double in the ninth for insurance.

— J.A. Happ and three relievers combined on a four-hitter as Happ became the first 16-game winner in the majors, and the Toronto Blue Jays blanked the Tampa Bay Rays 7-0. Troy Tulowitzki (too-loh-WIT'-skee) homered and had a season-high five RBIs. Justin Smoak also connected for the Blue Jays, who took over first place in the AL East by one game over Baltimore.

— Ross Detwiler (DEHT'-wy-lur) and John Axford combined on a four-hitter and the Oakland Athletics beat Baltimore 1-0 to knock the Orioles out of first place in the AL East.

— The AL West-leading Texas Rangers edged Colorado 5-4 in interleague play. Adrian Beltre (BEHL'-tray) singled in two runs in the eighth inning.

— In a battle of division leaders, the Washington Nationals beat Cleveland 7-4 to gain a split in the two-game series against the AL Central leaders. Jayson Werth's three-run home run was the big hit for the NL East-leading Nationals.

— Lorenzo Cain's two-out single in the 14th inning scored Christian Colon (kuh-LOHN') from second base and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2

— Nelson Cruz swatted his 28th home run to break and eighth inning tie and give the Seattle Mariners a 3-1 win over Detroit.

— The St. Louis Cardinals edged Cincinnati 3-2. Matt Carpenter and Jhonny (JAH'-nee) Peralta homered to back up a second straight dominant start by Jaime (HY'-mee) Garcia, who is 9-8. Garcia has allowed two runs in his last 16 innings.

— Edwin Jackson pitched two-hit ball over seven innings, Travis Jankowski capped the scoring with a straight steal of home and the San Diego Padres beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0. Jackson is 3-2. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Jordy Mercer's leadoff single.

— The New York Yankees worked over Boston, 9-4. The Yanks rallied with eight runs off the Boston bullpen. Gary Sanchez had four hits, including a homer. Recently acquired Tyler Clippard picked up his first win with the Yanks in relief. Red Sox star David Ortiz limped off in the ninth inning after fouling a pitch off his right shin.

— Arizona needed 12 innings to beat the New York Mets 3-2. Oscar Hernandez's homer off reliever Jerry Blevins broke the tie in the 12th.

— Chris Carter hit a three-run homer, Chase Anderson won his third straight decision and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3. Anderson is 7-10.

— Houston and Minnesota were rained out at Target Field. They'll play two today.

NFL-MOVES

Ragland out for the season

UNDATED (AP) — Buffalo rookie linebacker Reggie Ragland will miss the entire 2016 season after a knee injury.

Ragland tore a left knee ligament during practice Friday and will require surgery.

Ragland was a second-round draft pick out of Alabama was projected to start at one of the two inside linebacker positions.

Elsewhere:

— Seattle has activated tight tend Jimmy Graham off the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from his major knee injury last season. He was on the field with his teammates for the first time since Week 12 of last season when he tore the patellar tendon in his right knee.

— Denver coach Gary Kubiak has named Mark Sanchez the starting quarterback for tonight's preseason game at Chicago. Sanchez is competing with Trevor Siemian for the starting job.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Shockers coach suspended

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The athletic director at Wichita State hasn't been impressed with the actions of men's basketball coach Gregg Marshall. The coach has been suspended by the AD for the last game of an exhibition tour in Canada after receiving two technical fouls and getting kicked out of a game against McGill University.

Marshall had to be restrained Tuesday night from chasing after two referees.

OBIT-SAUNDERS

ESPN anchor dies

UNDATED (AP) — ESPN sportscaster John Saunders, who served as host of "The Sports Reporters" for the last 15 years, has died at the age of 61. His death was announced by ESPN. A cause of death was not announced. Saunders joined ESPN in 1986 and was a founding member of the board of directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a charity started by the network after former college basketball coach and ESPN announcer Jim Valvano died of cancer in 1993.