By Tony Jimenez CHASKA, Minnesota (Reuters) - Birdies galore and thrills aplenty characterized another remarkable day of Ryder Cup golf as the U.S. repelled a Rory McIlroy-inspired fightback from Europe to lead by 9 1/2 - 6 1/2 points on Saturday. The holders briefly silenced a raucous Hazeltine National crowd by winning the morning foursomes 2 1/2 - 1 1/2 but the U.S., desperate to avoid a fourth straight defeat in the biennial team event, rallied to take the afternoon fourballs 3-1. McIlroy, all high-fives, fist pumps and eye-bulging reaction, was as animated as he has ever been in the Ryder Cup as he and Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters took their record to 3-0 this week by beating Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson 3 and 1.
