BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : DODGERS : Fonville Ready to Pay Back Giants

This is the series that has been circled on Dodger second baseman Chad Fonville’s calendar for months.

Forget the Colorado Rockies. Who cares about the Atlanta Braves? Fonville wants a piece of the San Francisco Giants.

“I want to show them how they made a mistake, a big mistake,” Fonville said. “They’re the ones who gave up on me. I’d love to make them pay the price.”

The Giants didn’t protect him on their 40-man roster and lost him in the Rule 5 draft to the Montreal Expos. When the Expos tried to pass him through waivers, the Dodgers acquired him May 31.

Fonville, who never has played above Class A until this season, has become the Dodgers’ everyday second baseman, leaving veteran Delino DeShields, who is earning $3 million, on the bench.

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There may be worse times to have an injury, but Dodger third baseman Tim Wallach certainly couldn’t think of any.

Wallach missed his second consecutive game because of lower back spasms and has played only one game in Coors Field this season.

“You talk about rotten luck,” he said. “Man, of all places to hit.”

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Dodger starter Kevin Tapani’s victory Wednesday equaled the total by the Dodgers’ fifth starters in their previous 17 tries.

Pedro Astacio and Willie Banks in the fifth spot had combined for a 1-8 record with a 5.89 ERA. The Dodgers had gone 11 consecutive games by their fifth starter without a victory.

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On Wednesday night, Manager Tom Lasorda brought in Todd Worrell for what he believed was an easy save with a 10-7 lead.

There were two out and no one on in the ninth inning, and when Worrell struck out Andres Galarraga, Lasorda figured he got Worrell a gimme. So did Worrell.

The problem was that it was not a save situation because the tying run was not in the on-deck circle.

“When did they change that rule?” Lasorda said.