The mishmash of former and future major leaguers playing for Team USA has dealt with adversity before, and they now are facing the long road to Olympic success after a gut-punch.

The Americans coughed up a ninth-inning run to tie up a game they had led by three runs on Monday. They then lost in extra innings to Japan, both their bats and arms failing them late in a heartbreaker.

With the loss, USA is not eliminated but will face off late Tuesday night with the winner of Israel-Dominican Republic. Their path to a medal would have been much clearer had they entered the winners’ bracket.

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Scott McGough, who pitches professionally in Tokyo, blew the save – a walk, single and RBI ground out tied the game at 6.

With runners on first and second to open extra innings, the Americans couldn’t push a run in in a tough inning that included a Todd Frazier strikeout.

Longtime major leaguer Edwin Jackson surrendered the winning run, with Takuya Kai knocking the walk-off RBI single.

McGough’s poor inning halted a strong showing from American relievers that had held a one-run lead since the fifth inning. David Robertson (former Yankee) and Ryder Ryan (former Mets prospect) got the job done after Japan had scored twice in the fifth to trim the lead to 6-5.

Team USA had knocked out former Yankee Masahiro Tanaka with a three-run fourth inning, then went up 6-3 in the fifth with a three-run home run from Red Sox top prospect Triston Casas.

It would not last.

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