BEIJING — The United States scored nine first-inning runs to beat China 9-0 to move within two wins of another gold medal in Olympic softball.

Stretching their winning streak to 21, the U.S. (7-0) tied an Olympic record — one of the few they didn't already own — with the nine-run outburst in the first, which included Kelly Kretschman's three-run homer, three doubles, three singles and two pitchers.

All the runs came after two were out. Kretschman even had two strikes on her before the outfielder, who has the New York Yankees' interlocking "NY" logo tattooed on her ankle, smashed a pitch over the fence in right for the U.S. team's 13th homer.

Next up in Wednesday's medal round for the Americans is Japan (5-1), a team they beat 7-0 earlier in the tournament.

In the evening session Monday, Japan beat Canada 6-0. The Canadians (3-4), however, advanced to the medal round when Australia (5-2) beat Venezuela (2-5) 9-2 in the last game.

Canada, which finished fifth in 2004, will play Australia in Wednesday's second game.

The U.S. has now recorded six shutouts, with five of them ending in the fifth by the international run-rule. With two games still to play, the Americans have outscored the field 53-1 (the run against Canada was unearned), bettering their 51-1 mark in Athens.

"Offensively, it has probably gone better than I thought," catcher Stacey Nuveman said. "It's not that I didn't expect great things out of this unbelievable lineup. But just the relentlessness, we just keep on pounding. I mean, nine runs in an inning? That's just unreal."

Cat Osterman pitched three shutout innings and Jennie Finch took care of the final two.

Earlier, the Netherlands ended its first Olympic tournament by getting its first win, 4-2 over Taiwan. The Dutch (1-6) are leaving China enriched by the experience and eager to spread softball's word in Europe, where it's still growing and where it needs to expand to help the sport get back in the games.

"This can only help," shortstop Sandra Gouverneru said. "I'm not sure I can wait another eight years to play in another Olympics, though. It took me 12 years to get here."