Sizemore's slam powers Indians past Padres 10-5

Mar 11, 2010 - 12:56 AM GOODYEAR, Ariz.(AP) -- Grady Sizemore looks ready to pick up the slack while Russell Branyan is sidelined with a back injury.

Sizemore hit a grand slam in a nine-run fourth inning and the Cleveland Indians beat a San Diego Padres split-squad 10-5 on Wednesday to remain unbeaten this spring.

Sizemore is coming back from left elbow and abdominal surgery in September. His drive off Jackson Quezeda clanged off the metal roof over the right-field stands and made it 8-1.

"Grady showed us in winter workouts that he was fine and we have no worries about him," manager Manny Acta said. "But Branyan's not ready yet. He's still in the process of finishing his rehab."

Branyan signed a $2 million deal last month. He missed the final two months of last season with Seattle due to a herniated disk in his back.

"We knew this coming in," Acta said. "He gets a little soreness and there's no timetable for him."

Matt LaPorta, acquired by Cleveland in the July 2008 trade that sent CC Sabathia to Milwaukee, went 0 for 1 in his first spring appearance. LaPorta had surgery on his left hip and big toe in October.

"I feel like a kid getting ready for a Little League game," LaPorta said before the game. "I had a tough time sleeping last night, I was so excited."

LaPorta started at first base but is due to play some left field. He said he feels good but recovering from the toe injury slowed his rehab work overall.

"The toe does a lot, controls your walking, balance, running," he said. "My hip rehab took about a month and a half longer because of it, but I'm fine now."

Wade LeBlanc yielded one run over three innings, but Cleveland (5-0) put 10 men on base before making an out against Aaron Poreda and Quezada in the fourth.

Poreda was acquired from the Chicago White Sox last July in the Jake Peavy trade. He walked three.

"Everybody has a bad day and you've just got to forget about it," said Poreda, who faced seven batters and all of them scored. "I didn't have commmand. My slider was backing up over the plate and getting hit."

David Huff, trying to win a spot in Cleveland's rotation, gave up one run and three hits over three innings. The left-hander led the Indians with 11 wins as a rookie in 2009.

NOTES: 1B Oscar Salazar had a two-run double and rookie C Michael Collins a solo homer for the Padres. ... Indians rookie 1B-OF Jordan Brown had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in Cleveland. He is expected to be sidelined for four to eight weeks. ... Cleveland signed 32 players to one-year contracts. The Indians' entire 40-man roster is under contract. ... Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera broke his belt sliding into second base for a stolen base. First base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., gave him his.