PROFILES » in Poland they didnt expect that

CLEVELAND -- While his dad sat on a bucket in their backyard catching, little Josh Tomlin pretended he was pitching in the World Series.Hes about to do it for real.And his dad, Jerry, recently paralyzed from the chest down following a medical scare that threatened his life, will be there in Chicago watching.It will mean everything, said Tomlin, who will start Game 3 at Wrigley Field. Weve talked about this, shoot, since I was 3 or 4 years old. I can remember having conversations with him -- `Bases loaded, full count, bottom of the ninth, so and so is up to bat. What are you going to throw him?Lets go fastball, Tomlin said, and Id throw a fastball and on strike three wed jump up and throw our gloves and stuff like that. It was cool to be able to look back and think, man, I was doing that when I was 4 years old and now Im actually going to live it and hes actually going to get to see it.Thats pretty special to me and something Ill never forget for the rest of my life.Jerry Tomlin is Texas tough, the kind of rugged guy who never missed a day of work and lives life head on -- sometimes going too hard.He played football in high school and he always told me he was the guy on the kickoff who would go down there and break up the wedge. He was just crazy, said Tomlin, who helped rescue Clevelands bandaged rotation with strong performances in the AL Division Series against Boston and AL Championship Series versus Toronto. Hes been working since he was probably 12 or 13 years old until this incident happened.In August, Jerry was working at a power plant in Whitehouse, Texas, when he fell ill, his stomach tied in knots. With the pain worsening, he was taken to a hospital where doctors initially thought the problem was being caused by his gall bladder.Thats when things took a critical turn as Tomlins body went numb. He underwent an MRI and numerous tests, and the 57-year-old was rushed into surgery after he was diagnosed with arteriovenous malfunction, a condition that affects blood circulation near the spine.Josh Tomlin, already in the midst of one of the worst months of his career, rushed home after the Indians arranged a private jet so he could get there quickly to see his dad and be there for his mom, Elana. The pitcher made the trip fearing his dad might not survive.The procedure saved Jerrys life, but it has left him in a wheelchair with a long, difficult road to recovery ahead. Its not known if hell walk again.After spending nearly two months in a rehab facility in Dallas, he was released last week -- on Joshs 32nd birthday. Jerry watched from his living room as the Indians clinched their first AL pennant since 2007.The Tomlins are incredibly close, their bond strengthened by their love of baseball.I talk to him every single day, him and my mom both, Tomlin said. Ive got a great relationship with them. Theyve been a huge part of my life and a huge part of my success in the big leagues.Jerry and Elena will be accompanied to Chicago by Tomlins aunt and uncle, and theyll stay at the team hotel. Josh intends to spend time with his dad on Thursday night before he faces the Cubs.While his dad was sick, Tomlin was pitching himself out of the Indians rotation. He went 0-5 in August with an 11.48 ERA, and while he never used his fathers situation as an excuse, it clearly affected his performance.The ballpark was a sanctuary, giving Tomlin a place to clear his mind and where he felt a connection -- with his dad.I think he actually thought that being here and with his teammates was helping him, Indians manager Terry Francona said. I told him many times, the minute you feel like you want to be home, even if its for your mom, well handle this. But he had a lot going on. That was tough.So is Tomlin, who stepped up after the Indians lost starters Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco to injuries in September. His team needed him and Tomlin came through, delivering the way his dad taught him.Hes always coached me, Tomlin said. Ive heard that from a lot of my friends that played for him -- hes one of the better motivators. Hes very intense. He would yell at you and try to get the most out of you, but he treated you like a man. He expected a lot out of you, but it wasnt like he was mad if you made a mistake.If you did things the right way and always gave 100 percent, he was in your corner.Jerry Tomlin will be there again when his son pitches on baseballs biggest stage, the one they played on before.Im just looking forward to seeing him, Tomlin said. Cheap Jordans For Sale Wholesale . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Wholesale Retro Jordans Cheap . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. http://www.cheapjordanfromchina.com/ . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. Cheap Retro Jordans For Sale . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. 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MARSEILLE, France -- Portugal likes to leave it late at this European Championship, whether Cristiano Ronaldo is having a good game or not.The Portuguese have been level after 90 minutes in every game this tournament, a run that continued Thursday as Ronaldo and his teammates drew 1-1 with Poland after extra time, before advancing to the semifinals with a 5-3 victory on penalties.With Ronaldo once again far from his best, two of the Real Madrid stars supporting cast stepped up.Eighteen-year-old Renato Sanches, Portugals youngest ever starter at a European Championship, scored the equalizer and took man-of-the-match honors with his smart movement and neat footwork.Then substitute Ricardo Quaresma struck the winning penalty in the shootout, five days after he scored an extra-time winner against Croatia in another late show by the Portuguese in the round of 16.Quaresma fired his spot-kick past Lukasz Fabianski to line up a match against either Wales or Belgium in Lyon on Wednesday, securing Portugals fourth semifinal at the last five European Championships.It was enormous pressure. I had an entire country in my hands, Quaresma said. I knew it was going to be a goal.Poland winger Jakub Blaszczykowski had come into the match at the Stade Velodrome as his teams top scorer. But he had a poor game and saw his penalty saved one-handed by Rui Patricio, allowing Quaresma to finish the job with the very next kick in front of a stand packed with Polish fans.Last week, Ronaldo had lived up to his star billing by scoring twice in a 3-3 draw with Hungary, with Portugal needing second half goals in its final group game to secure a place in the last 16. For Ronaldo, it was a rare moment of excellence at Euro 2016.On Thursday, he was back to squandering chances and misplacing his passes, leaving midfielder Sanches to step up and score Portugals equalizer in the first half. The teenager was his teams main attacking threat for much of the game.Its wonderful for the team, for me as well for scoring the goal, Sanches said. People criticize us, but we dont care because in the end were in the semis.Earlier, Poland striker Robert Lewandowski had put his team in front with the quickest goal of the tournament, scoring inside two minutes.Portugal right-back Cedric Soares misjudged a cross-field ball, allowing Kamil Grosicki to break into space on the left flank and send in a low cross for Lewandowski to convert with a first-time shot.Polands lead lasted until the 33rd minute, when Sanches lit up the game.The youngster, who has just been signed by Bayern Munich, cut in from the righht and passed to Nani, who sent it back immediately with a neat backheel.dddddddddddd. Sanches then unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the area that took a deflection off Grzegorz Krychowiak on its way past the outstretched Fabianski.Despite becoming the third-youngest scorer in European Championship history, Sanches played down his goal, calling it simply a move that just turned out that way and I scored. He also volunteered to take a penalty in the shootout and scored with a confident strike into the top-left corner.The match might have been settled in regulation time if Ronaldo hadnt missed a golden opportunity in the 85th minute. He beat the Polish offside trap with a perfectly timed run, but completely missed the ball as he tried to convert a bouncing pass from Joao Moutinho.The Real Madrid star missed another good chance early in extra time when he failed to control the ball in front of goal. The errors meant he has yet to match Michel Platinis all-time record at European Championships of nine goals. However, Ronaldo did score with Portugals opening penalty of the shootout.After the game, Ronaldo threw away his captains armband in frustration.Defeat ends Polands best run at a European Championship.Its painful, Lewandowski said. Football is a very brutal competition.Poland had never won a game in its two previous appearances at European Championships and finished last in its group as a co-host of Euro 2012.Before the tournament, in Poland they didnt expect that wed get to the quarterfinals, Lewandowski added. We have played so defensively sometimes, but weve had a good result.Poland -- which conceded just two goals all tournament -- had chances to win the game in the second half, notably when Patricio stopped a diving header from Lewandowski.However, the Poles also came within centimeters of scoring an own-goal in the 81st when Pepes pass for Ronaldo was cut out by left-back Artur Jedrzejczyk, whose sliding challenge sent the ball narrowly wide of his own post.Midfielder William Carvalho has started the last three games for Portugal but will miss the semifinal thanks to a second booking of the tournament.Both teams face sanctions from UEFA for pyrotechnic use by their fans, while play was briefly stopped in extra time by a fan who ran onto the pitch before being overcome by police. He wore a green shirt and it was not immediately clear whether he was a fan of either team.---Mike Corder contributed to this report. ' ' '