Fonville’s the Key to Dodger Ignition

It would be easy for the Dodgers to say it’s a coincidence. It would be predictable for them to say they were due.

Second baseman Delino DeShields knows better.

He is convinced that Chad Fonville not only is responsible for his rejuvenated play, but that of the entire team.

The latest result was a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night before a paid crowd of 31,172 at Dodger Stadium. Pedro Astacio pitched eight shutout innings and DeShields’ solo homer in the fifth inning provided the only run of the game.

Yes, and just like that, all is good again.

The Dodgers have won four consecutive games. DeShields is playing like an all-star. Shortstop Greg Gagne is playing like Ozzie Smith. And Manager Tom Lasorda is eating again and sleeping like a baby.

“There’s something special about Chad,” DeShields said. “He makes this team go. It’s just too obvious when he’s playing like this, busting his behind and playing hard.

“You see him playing like this, and it make you want to go out and do the same kind of thing. It’s like, ‘Oh, so that’s how we’re supposed to play.’

“Hey, it’s no secret we were dragging until Chad came in the lineup. All I can say now is the most he can be out there, the better we will be. It’s that simple.”

Fonville, who sits next to DeShields in the clubhouse, has returned again to become his inspiration, helping him shed his offensive funk.

“I just like him being out there,” said DeShields, who has homered in successive games. “The way he plays kind of does something to me.

“I mean, look at the way we’re playing. That was just a great ballgame tonight.”

The Dodgers had lost four consecutive games when Lasorda put Fonville into the lineup Tuesday for the first time this season. They have yet to lose. And Fonville has yet to come out of the lineup.

It doesn’t even seem to matter that first baseman Eric Karros has sat out four consecutive games. Or that Raul Mondesi is hitless in 16 at-bats since replacing Karros as the cleanup hitter. Or that staff ace Ramon Martinez still is on the disabled list.

The Dodgers, who will tell you that they couldn’t have won the National League West last season without Fonville, are the first to tell you that they have to have him in the lineup. It doesn’t matter where he plays, simply that he does play.

“Somebody’s sure ignited this team,” Lasorda said. “Look at what’s happened the last few nights. DeShields is hitting home runs. [Mike] Blowers hit a home run [Thursday]. Mike [Piazza] has got nine RBIs. We’re playing good baseball.”

Fonville, who bumped DeShields, left fielder Roberto Kelly and shortstop Jose Offerman out of the lineup last season, has won the left-field job. Fonville’s play, in fact, may prompt the Dodgers to send rookie Todd Hollandsworth back to triple-A Albuquerque.

Fonville got the Dodgers’ first hit of the game in the first inning off Cub starter Steve Trachsel. He threw out Leo Gomez at the plate in the third inning and robbed Luis Gonzalez of a run-scoring double in the fourth inning by crashing against the left-field fence.

DeShields, meanwhile, hit Trachsel’s first pitch of the fifth inning into the center-field seats, Gagne robbed the Cubs of two hits with his defense, and starter Astacio (2-2) shut down the Cubs until Todd Worrell closed out the ninth with his sixth save.

“It’ll be tough to get me out of the lineup now,” said Fonville, batting .538 (seven for 13) with three runs, a stolen base and an RBI in his last five games. “I’m going to do everything I can to get this club to win.

“I proved to them last year that I can play at this level. I just kept waiting my turn, being patient, and not complaining. I knew my turn would come eventually.”

Certainly, Astacio is taking advantage of his chance, helping the Dodgers to their eighth victory in their first 10 home games. It’s their best start at Dodger Stadium since 1980, when they opened with an 11-2 record en route to 55 home victories.

“I feel good now, I feel confident,” said Astacio, who is 2-0 with a 0.93 earned-run average in his last three starts. “I’ve been consistent the last three or four games. Maybe it’s the most consistent I’ve been since ’93.

“I don’t know, just good things are happening right now.”