DeShields Stays on the Bench, for Now

Chad Fonville started his third consecutive game at second base in place of the slumping Delino DeShields, who has one hit in his last 29 at-bats.

“Obviously, Delino is going to get back in the lineup at some point,” Manager Bill Russell said. “It’s good for him to take a few days off, how many remains to be determined.”

Hitting coach Reggie Smith says DeShields, whose batting average has plummeted to .224, has been plagued by mechanical problems.

“I think there are mechanical things that Delino needs to adjust, it’s just tough to do them during the season, especially when you’re in the middle of a pennant race,” Smith said. “You get to a point when you’re struggling during the course of a season where you just become overwhelmed with it, and I think that’s where Delino is right now.

“He’s gotten down mentally where he’s lost a little confidence, because things that he’s tried haven’t worked. He wants to contribute and I know that. It’s killing him because he is not the player that he has been exhibiting. He’s much better than that, there’s no doubt in my mind and there shouldn’t be in anybody else’s mind.”

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Third baseman Tim Wallach, who signed with the Dodgers in July after being released by the Angels, went into Friday night’s game hitting .382 with one home run and five RBIs in his last nine games. The Dodgers are 22-8 since his return.

“I was hitting the ball pretty well, but I wasn’t getting many hits,” Wallach said. “Now, I’m finding some holes.”

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Dodger infielder Juan Castro, who strained his lower back while taking batting practice last Friday, fielded grounders and ran in the outfield before Friday night’s game. He hopes to take batting practice before tonight’s game. . . . First baseman Eric Karros, who stole second after drawing a two-out walk in the fourth inning, is seven for seven in stolen bases this season.