Grady Sizemore is one of the few leadoff hitters in the majors capable of leading his team in home runs. Sizemore, in fact, did exactly that last year, topping the Indians with a career-high 33 homers.
Sizemore's power has surfaced again this year, and Thursday he slugged a key three-run home run in the eighth inning, helping lift the Indians to a 5-2 win over Kansas City. Sizemore already has six home runs this year. That's twice as many as he hit in the month of April last year. Sizemore is hitting only .258 overall this season, but he's in the middle of one of his hot streaks, where he hits for both power and average.
In his last eight games, Sizemore is batting .344 with eight runs, four home runs and 12 RBIs. It's the kind of all-around offensive excellence the Indians have grown accustomed to from the sixth-year player.
Possessing that rare combination of speed and power, Sizemore is an offensive force in the leadoff spot that few teams have. The Indians tend to play better when Sizemore goes on one of his hot streaks, and that's the case now.
Thursday's win over Kansas City gave Cleveland its first series win of the season. Sizemore had two home runs and six RBIs in the three games.
INDIANS 5, ROYALS 2: OF Grady Sizemore's three-run home run capped a four-run eighth inning rally as the Indians rallied for a late win. RHP Jensen Lewis pitched two scoreless innings of relief to get the win, evening his record at 2-2, and closer RHP Kerry Wood picked up his third save in three save situations.
