GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Only one of the anticipated exhibition debuts came off without a hitch Wednesday at Goodyear Ballpark.

Russell Branyan and Matt LaPorta were expected to play for the first time this spring in the Indians’ Catcus League game against the Padres — a 10-5 Cleveland victory — but only LaPorta answered the bell.

“(Russell’s) not ready yet,” Indians manager Manny Acta said of Branyan, who is recovering from a herniated disc in his lower back that ended his season prematurely last year with the Mariners. “Russell is still in the process of finishing his rehab. I think we knew this coming in.”

Acta, who said Branyan would make his debut Wednesday, gave no timetable for the slugger’s return.

“We have a lot of time left, so we’re going to take our time,” he said. “We’ve got to take care of this guy.”

Acta said Branyan has been taking ground balls and hitting on occasion but that he has yet to participate in “full” baseball activities.

“I think throughout the process he gets a little soreness in his back,” Acta said. “That’s normal.”

Branyan, 34, signed a one-year contract ($2 million) with the Indians this offseason, following a career year in Seattle in which he hit 31 home runs and drove in 76 runs in 116 games.

The high strikeout counts he produced in three other stints in Cleveland were still there as Branyan fanned 149 times in 431 at-bats. But the left-handed hitter also batted .251, one of the highest batting averages of his career. He was hitting over .300 in Seattle before the back problems surfaced.

LaPorta, who played three innings at first base Wednesday and logged one at-bat (a groundout to shortstop), is also coming off injuries. The big bounty from the CC Sabathia trade with Milwaukee during the 2008 season underwent two separate surgeries this winter on his left hip and left big toe.

LaPorta said it took longer to rehab after the toe surgery, but he is still ahead of Branyan, who was brought aboard in large part because the Indians didn’t feel LaPorta was ready to play first on a regular basis.

LaPorta did make a nice pick on a one-hop throw from shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the opening inning Wednesday, but Acta hasn’t seen enough of him to assess his status.

“We’ve been seeing him every day doing drills and stuff,” Acta said. “He swung the bat pretty well in an intrasquad game (Monday). It was only one at-bat (Wednesday). It’s too early to tell.”

LaPorta played in 52 games for Cleveland last year, batting .254 with seven homers and 21 RBIs. In 93 games for Triple-A Columbus last season, he hit .299 with 17 homers and 60 RBIs.

LaPorta’s attention has shifted from first base to left field, where he is vying for the starting job with Michael Brantley and Trevor Crowe. Brantley was also part of the Sabathia trade with the Brewers.

But he was just happy to get back on the field Wednesday.

“I feel like a kid getting ready for a little league game,” LaPorta said prior to his exhibition debut. “I had a tough time sleeping last night. I was so excited.”

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

LORAIN — Lorain firefighters responded overnight to a fire that destroyed one South Lorain garage and damaged two others and a car.

Firefighters were called to 4421 Camden Ave. about 4:40 a.m., according to Assistant Fire Chief Randy Hupp. Camden runs between Homewood Drive and Fairless Avenue east of Southview High School.

The fire was fully involved when crews arrived, Hupp said, and wound up spreading to damage two neighboring garages and a car in the driveway of the first garage.

The first garage was a total loss at $25,000 damage to it and the car, a 1996 Mercury. Two other garages, at 4425 Camden and 4424 Norfolk, sustained $7,000 damage apiece, Hupp said.

Hupp said the garages were very close together but set far enough behind the homes that no homes or people were in immediate danger.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the department’s Fire Prevention Bureau, Hupp said.

Crews were on the scene for several hours.

View Lorain garage fire in a larger map

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Grady Sizemore looked healthy Wednesday at Goodyear Ballpark.

The Indians’ center fielder, who is coming off an injury-plagued year and two offseason surgeries (left elbow and groin), was at the forefront of Cleveland’s 10-5 victory over the Padres. He clouted a grand slam to power a nine-run fourth inning and singled in his other official at-bat, while walking once and scoring two runs.

“There hasn’t been any doubt,” Cleveland manager Manny Acta said of Sizemore’s health. “None of (the previous injuries) are bothering him right now.”

It was Sizemore’s second appearance this spring. He also played in the exhibition opener Friday, going 1-for-3 with a two-run double.

Sizemore struggled to a career-low .248 batting average in 106 games last year. He played with the elbow injury for much of the season before he was shut down Sept. 3.

Huff’s stuff

Left-hander David Huff was extended to three innings in his start Wednesday, allowing a run on three hits and a walk.

“I felt great,” said Huff, who has allowed a run on five hits and has struck out three in two starts (five innings). “I kind of wanted to go another (inning).”

Huff, who led Cleveland with 11 wins last year, is in a battle with left-hander Aaron Laffey and righty Mitch Talbot for the final two spots in the rotation.

“Everybody’s good in their own way,” he said. “Right now it’s a big competition. Everybody’s pitching well right now. I’m focusing on what I’m doing. I can’t worry about what they’re doing. They’re going to do what they do.”

Laffey has allowed no runs and one hit in two appearances (one start), covering four innings. Talbot, who is scheduled to make his first start today, has pitched once (two innings) and allowed two hits.

First time

It took Travis Hafner three games but he got his first hit Wednesday — a line-drive single to right to start the uprising in the fourth. He went 1-for-2 with a walk. It was Hafner’s third appearance after going 0-for-4 with two walks in his first two games.

Brown surgery

First baseman/outfielder Jordan Brown underwent successful surgery on his right knee Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic.

Brown, who led the International League (Triple-A) with a .336 batting average, is expected to miss the next 4-8 weeks. He was a long shot to make the 25-man roster as an extra outfielder.

Signing times

The Indians have come to terms with all of the members of their 40-man roster, signing the remaining 32 players Wednesday. Some of the bigger names signed include shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, infielder/outfielder Matt LaPorta, RHP Justin Masterson, RHP Chris Perez, LHP Rafael Perez and second baseman Luis Valbuena.

Local flavor

North Olmsted grad Adam Russell, a right-handed reliever for the Padres, worked a scoreless seventh inning, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts.

Russell, 26, appeared in 15 games for the Padres last year after coming over in a trade with the White Sox for Jake Peavy, going 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA.

He was a sixth-round draft pick of Chicago’s in 2004.

Steroid suspension

Outfielder Steven Lebron, a Cleveland minor leaguer in the Dominican Summer League, was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance (Boldenone metabolite). Lebron was signed in January. The Indians voided his contract at no cost.

Roundin’ third

Indians owner Larry Dolan attended Wednesday’s game.

The Indians have added a ‘B’ game to their schedule, taking on the Reds in Goodyear on Sunday. LHP Kelvin DeLaCruz, one of the Indians’ top pitching prospects will start.

Today, Indians at White Sox (The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch), 3:05, No TV; WEOL 930-AM. Mitch Talbot (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Freddy Garcia (0-00, 4.50).

Indians (5-0) 10, Padres (1-5) 5

Hits

• Center fielder Grady Sizemore had a big game, going 2-for-2 with a grand slam, four RBIs, a walk and two runs.
• Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was 2-for-3 and drove in Cleveland’s first run in the opening inning with a double.
• Left fielder Trevor Crowe went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
• Closer Kerry Wood faced the minimum in the fourth inning and stuck out one.

Misses

• Reliever Frank Herrmann allowed three of the Padres’ runs on four hits in his only inning of work in the sixth.
• First baseman Andy Marte struck out twice in two official at-bats.

Notable

• Batting around and around: The Indians had 10 straight hitters reach base against two pitchers in a nine-run fourth inning.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Only one of the anticipated exhibition debuts came off without a hitch Wednesday at Goodyear Ballpark.

Both Russell Branyan and Matt LaPorta were expected to play for the first time this spring in the Indians’ Catcus League game against the Padres – a 10-5 Cleveland victory — but only LaPorta answered the bell.

“(Russell’s) not ready yet,” said Indians manager Manny Acta of Branyan, who is recovering from a herniated disc in his lower back that ended his season prematurely last year with the Mariners. “Russell is still in the process of finishing his rehab. I think we knew this coming in.”

Acta, who said Branyan would make his debut Wednesday, gave no timetable for the slugger’s return.

“We have a lot of time left, so we’re going to take our time,” he said. “We’ve got to take care of this guy.”