McCutchen in the sixth. ... Howard was not in the starting lineup for the second time in a four-game span. Howard, who snapped out of an 0-for-22 slump with two hits Tuesday, has been bothered by

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- The U.S. womens soccer team had a difficult time getting the ball to Carli Lloyd for much of Saturdays high-stakes Group G showdown against France.But ever the creative player, Tobin Heath found another way to get Lloyd involved (intentionally or not).The goal was enough for a 1-0 win of major significance for the Americans.Heaths second-half shot off French goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddis hand and off the post rebounded to the feet of Lloyd. The American captain didnt waste the chance, driving the ball into the empty net in the 63rd minute for her second goal of the tournament.More to come, but here are three observations from the pivotal Group G clash.1. Two teams play to typeFrance had more chances. France had better chances. It controlled the game early. It threw everything at the Americans late. It didnt make any of it count. The United States absorbed pressure early, regrouped at halftime, then found a way to scrape together a late goal and a win in the end.It would be easy to pass off the idea of American mettle and French faltering as writing to the result -- any of a number of bounces could have flipped the score line. Except that it seems to keep happening the same way for these two teams in major tournaments.And give Lloyd credit. On a night when she (and Alex Morgan) were starved for service for such long stretches, she held her poise and was right there pushing forward when Heaths shot rebounded to her.2. Whitney Engen holds her nerveEngen was the only field player for the United States who made last years World Cup roster but didnt see time on the field in Canada. Saturday she found herself in the starting lineup for the first time since March, a replacement for Julie Johnston at center back. One of the lower-profile battles throughout the year was that between Engen and NWSL No. 1 overall pick Emily Sonnett to be the third center back behind Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn. Engen held off her challenger and held on to the important roster spot.U.S. Soccer said Johnston was available for the game (NBC reported she had a sore groin), but while the rest of her teammates -- including Mallory Pugh, who injured her ankle in the opening game and didnt start this one -- warmed up on the field before the game, the defender stood on the sideline with a long-sleeved shirt tied around her waist. Could Johnston have played in a pinch? Its unclear, but it didnt matter because her understudy had a quiet enough night to leave the headlines to others.3. Americans now control their fateThe game between the United States and Colombia was always going to be the undercard in Manaus on Tuesday. And not just because it will take place before host Brazil takes the field in the nightcap. But the U.S women now make the trip into the Amazon in considerably better shape than they would have been with even a draw against France.As long as the United States beats Colombia, it wins Group G and earns a place in the quarterfinals opposite a third-place team from one of the other groups. The math would have been more complicated with a draw. France is likely left to stare down the prospect of another quarterfinal against Germany, just as in the World Cup. Sale Football Jerseys Throwback . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Cheap Football Jerseys Throwback China . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/ . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Wholesale Football Jerseys Throwback .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Football Jerseys Throwback Outlet . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason.PITTSBURGH -- The night after a long Pittsburgh Pirates winning streak ended, one of their starting pitchers extended one of his own. Jeff Locke won his eighth consecutive decision, Pedro Alvarez hit a three-run homer and the Pirates hung on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 Wednesday night. Locke (8-1) was scored upon for the first time in four home starts but extended his unbeaten streak to 16 outings. Locke, who hasnt lost since his first start of the season, allowed two earned runs on seven hits and three walks over 5 2-3 innings. "Theyre going to get their hits -- and Im also going to make my pitches," Locke said. "Im going to win some battles; theyre going to win some battles. A night like tonight theyre finding some holes and hitting the ball pretty hard at points, youve just got to try to stay consistent and dont teeter away from what you do well." The Pirates took the lead with a four-run fifth punctuated by Alvarezs 21st home run. Andrew McCutchen reached base five times, scoring twice for the Pirates (52-31), who have the majors best record and had a nine-game winning streak snapped in the series opener Tuesday. "Ill tell you what -- theres something special going on here," Locke said. "All the guys pull for each other every night. Were not out of a game, ever. And I think the Pirates of the past could get out of a game early, wed kind of get down on ourselves a little bit and think that hills too tall to climb. But nothing here these guys cant do." Delmon Young and Domonic Brown each had three hits for the Phillies, who have lost four of six. Young has 1,001 career hits. Browns two-run homer with two outs in the ninth pulled the Phillies within one, but Jason Grilli stuck out Young to seal his NL-best 28th save. Philadelphias John Lannan (1-3) fell to 1-5 in his career against the Pirates, getting tagged for four runs on 11 hits and three walks in five innings. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said, "It definitely wasnt one of (Lannans) better games." Still, he kept Pittsburgh off the scoreboard through four. The Pirates left seven men on base in that stretch. Pittsburgh loaded the bases with no outs in the second, but Locke struck out and Starling Marte bounced into a double play. "I was battling all night, and I was able to pitch myself out of a lot of jams," Lannan said. "But then I made a bad pitch to Alvarez, and that was the difference in the game." McCutchen, Sanchez and Martin hit consecutive one-out singles in the fifth, the latter driving in a run. Alvarez followed with his fourth home run over his past six games against the Phillies. "I was just up there ttrying to be ready to hit and not really sitting on anything," Alvarez said.dddddddddddd "I was just trying to go out there and put a good at-bat together." Those runs erased an early deficit for the Pirates. When Ben Revere drove in Brown with a bloop single to left with two outs in the fourth, it snapped a 24-inning scoreless streak for Locke at PNC Park. Thats the longest home shutout streak for a Pirates pitcher since Jerry Reuss did it for 34 innings in 1975. Locke had his scheduled start bumped back a day when he was forced to warm up in the bullpen during the 14th inning of a win Sunday. He had three consecutive home starts in which he did not allow a run between May 14 and Wednesday. "As much as anything, hes got a very good demeanour," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "There seems to be no panic, no urgency. He just continues to make pitches and focus on that pitch to that hitter." Justin Wilson allowed an RBI single to pinch hitter Kevin Frandsen, but -- after a Jordy Mercer error led to another Phillies run -- struck out Chase Utley to end the sixth. Jeanmar Gomez struck out pinch hitter Ryan Howard to finish a scoreless seventh and Mark Melancon worked a perfect eighth. Browns home run off of Grilli snapped a 27 1-3-inning scoreless streak by the Pirates bullpen. Brown has three home runs through nine games on Philadelphias road trip and a team-high 22 on the season. "Id like to make the All-Star team; itd be a great honour," the 25-year-old Brown said. "Im not really thinking about that right now. Im thinking about our team and how we can start winning some games." NOTES: Martins second RBI came when he doubled in McCutchen in the sixth. ... Howard was not in the starting lineup for the second time in a four-game span. Howard, who snapped out of an 0-for-22 slump with two hits Tuesday, has been bothered by a sore left knee all season. He was walking gingerly after Tuesdays game, one in which he scored from first by sprinting on a double during the sixth inning. ... The Pirates activated OF Jose Tabata before the game and optioned RHP Brandon Cumpton to Triple-A Indianapolis. Cumpton was recalled to start Tuesdays game in lieu of Locke. ... Buoyed by thousands of Phillies fans who made the drive across the state, the announced paid crowd of 33,197 was the Pirates eighth consecutive of at least 30,000 at home. ... RHP Gerrit Cole is the first Pirates pitcher to win each of his first four career starts in more than a century. He makes his fifth major league start in the series finale Thursday. LHP Cole Hamels (2-11, 4.58), who starts for the Phillies, has one win since April. ' ' '