Indians’ Sizemore plays in field

Photo by: Eric Risberg

AP

Photo

Cleveland Indians' Austin Kearns, left, is greeted by teammate Shin-Soo Choo, right, after hitting a two-run home run of Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Carlos Rosa during the sixth inning of their spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick near Scottsdale, Ariz., Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

Associated Press

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.

Grady Sizemore moved into shallow center field and located the pop fly in the bright sky.

“I got it! I got it!” he yelled.

It was a routine play, but one he had not made for a long time in a game. The Cleveland star took another step in his recovery from microfracture surgery on his left knee in June, playing the field for the first time in the Indians’ 7-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

Sizemore was 0 for 2 with a strikeout and is hitless in four at-bats on the spring, serving as the designated hitter on Sunday. He is not expected to be ready for opening day, and likely will get his work in at extended spring training at the Indians’ facility in Goodyear.

“It felt good to be back on the field, get out there and get as much work as I can,” said Sizemore, who hit .211 with no homers and 13 RBIs in 33 games last season.

He had been shagging fly balls during batting practice, “but at game speed, it is different,” he said. “These are small steps. Next time, maybe I can play four or five innings and take it from there.”

Cleveland manager Manny Acta plans to alternate Sizemore at DH and outfield every other day for the remainder of the spring.

“It was good to see Grady out there. Everything went well,” Acta said.

Travis Buck, who starred in college at nearby Arizona State, hit two homers against the Diamondbacks, giving him four for the spring to go along with 12 RBIs and a .435 batting average.

“He’s been hurt the last few years and we think we picked him up at the right time,” Acta said. “With Grady uncertain, we thought it was worth looking at Buck and he’s done a good job. He’s got a good chance [of making the team].”

Kearns and Asdrubal Cabrera also homered for Cleveland.

Indians RHP Jensen Lewis cleared waivers and was sent outright to Columbus.