BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Fonville Goes on Hitting Tear

Reggie Smith, the Dodgers’ hitting coach, turned to rookie second baseman Chad Fonville during Sunday’s game and asked him if he had heard of Mike Benjamin.

Benjamin, a San Francisco Giants’ reserve, produced a major league record 14 hits in three games. The way Fonville has been hitting the last two days since taking over for Delino DeShields, Benjamin’s record was in jeopardy.

Fonville, who played at Class-A San Jose last season, went three for four Sunday in the Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs, giving him seven hits in two games. He never had more than one hit in a major league game until Saturday.

“My mom’s going a little crazy right now,” said Fonville, who is listed in the media guide as 5 feet 8, but confesses that he’s only 5-6. “I called [Saturday] and she and my brothers were screaming. Well, I guess I’ll be calling again.”

The Dodgers picked up Fonville on waivers June 4, and he was pressed into duty Saturday when DeShields suffered a strained groin when he slipped in the muddy infield. Although DeShields says he’ll be ready to play today, Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda said he may want to go with Fonville one more day.

“I thought he was a batboy the first time I saw him, I swear to God,” Lasorda said. “That little guy can play.”

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First baseman Eric Karros never has been an all-star, but the way he’s been hitting this season--.332 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs--it’s going to be difficult finding a reason to leave him off the roster.

“I’d love to be there at least one time in my career,” Karros said, “just to say I was an all-star. But the only thing I can do is to continue putting up numbers and let them speak for themselves.”