DODGERS' SPEED GETS A'S; SEASON-HIGH SEVEN STEALS LEAD TO ANOTHER VICTORY : DODGERS 7 OAKLAND 1.

Byline: Eric Noland Daily News Staff Writer

This is the team that once produced three consecutive singles and succeeded only in loading the bases. Really. It happened against the Angels in mid-June, when the Dodgers' Todd Zeile, Mike Piazza and Eric Karros all hit safely - but produced no runs.

Third-base coach Joey Amalfitano used to call it station-to-station offense.

What a radical difference a flurry of trades has made.

The Dodgers, who bartered for burners Otis Nixon, Eric Young and Darren Lewis over a period of 16 days this month, have daringly retooled their offense in the midst of a pennant race.

And in a 7-1 victory over the Oakland A's Thursday night at Dodger Stadium, there was little disputing that speed, in fact, thrills.

The Dodgers stole a season-high seven bases - within one of tying the franchise record - as they ran the woeful A's right off the diamond.

The victory, L.A.'s 12th in its last 16 games, enabled the first-place Dodgers to extend their advantage to 2-1/2 games over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West - the Dodgers' widest lead this season.

``They've all come together,'' manager Bill Russell said of the newcomers. ``They fit in real well here.''

For a crowd of 51,392 (free school supplies were given out), this game afforded first looks at Young and Lewis, both of whom were acquired in trade during a just-completed 10-game road trip. They didn't disappoint.

Young, a former Dodgers prospect who came over from Colorado to play second base and lead off, stole two bases (including third) in the first inning and scored the Dodgers' first run. Lewis, an outfielder from the Chicago White Sox making his first appearance as a Dodger, went 2 for 4.

Oakland, the losingest team in the American League, provided only the meekest of opposition on the occasion of its 81st defeat. The A's struck out nine times against Hideo Nomo, who pitched shutout ball into the eighth; first baseman Jason Giambi dropped two infield throws to keep innings alive; and catcher Brent Mayne was tormented unmercifully by the Dodgers' breakneck brand of offense.

But footspeed tends to apply pressure just in its presence, and the Dodgers weren't shy in exploiting this strange, new advantage. Right from the start.

Three consecutive singles and no runs on that night in June? In the first inning, they reversed the concept - three runs on one hit.

Young led off with a walk and stole second. After Piazza drew a walk one out later, both runners suddenly broke, and Mayne appeared so distracted by Young's theft of third that he was late to second and couldn't get the slow-footed Piazza.

After Raul Mondesi followed with a two-out walk to load the bases and Todd Zeile laced a single into right, the fun really began.

Young and Piazza scored easily, and Mondesi steamed into third, drawing a throw. Zeile rounded for second and was promptly caught in a rundown, but as shortstop Miguel Tejada and Giambi tried to hunt him down, Mondesi raced for home and scored easily. Zeile even wound up safe at second on the play.

In the fifth inning, when the Dodgers scored twice more, Nixon was a catalyst in the rally by stealing third base with no outs. (Piazza again rumbled into second on the play, doubling his season stolen-base total - from two to four - in one night.)

Word has obviously spread on the Dodgers' new look - as well as their new formidability. A Dodgers official said the Oakland series had been the weakest draw of the interleague schedule, but that ticket orders poured in as the victories mounted on the last trip. The Dodgers' day games with the Seattle Mariners on Saturday and Sunday, meanwhile, are already sold out.

The main beneficiary of the baserunning exhibition Thursday night was Nomo (13-10), who had been in a dreadful slump since being hit above the elbow by a line drive a month ago. In five starts immediately following that incident, he compiled a 6.46 ERA and gave up 41 hits in 30-2/3 innings.

In this game, however, Nomo was back to form that touched off a mania two years ago.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--Color) Hideo Nomo overpowered the Oakland A's, shutting them out the first seven innings.

(2) Advice from teammates Brent Mayne, center, and Scott Spiezio, right, didn't help pitcher Eric Ludwick.

Myung J. Chun / Daily News

Box: DODGERS TODAY