DODGERS LOCATE OFFENSE : FOR ONCE, CANDIOTTI GETS GOOD SUPPORT DODGERS 7, MONTREAL 2.

Byline: Michael Rosenthal Daily News Staff Writer

The Dodgers, the least productive team in baseball, decided it was time to do something about it: nothing.

And it worked.

The Dodgers, who took no batting practice before Wednesday night's game against the Montreal Expos, collected an encouraging 10 hits and starter Tom Candiotti recovered strongly from a slow start in a 7-2 victory before 26,875 spectators at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers took two of three in the series.

The Expos were handed their first two runs.

With one out in the second inning, Dave Silvestri singled to left off Candiotti but ended up at third when the ball rolled through the legs of left fielder Billy Ashley for an embarrassing error. Lenny Webster then singled Silvestri home.

After starting pitcher Jeff Fassero's sacrifice bunt pushed Webster to second, a hard ground ball by Mark Grudzielanek bounced off the chest of shortstop Greg Gagne and went into left field, which allowed Webster to score and make it 2-0.

Fassero, who came into the game with a 1-3 record (5.47 ERA) lifetime against the Dodgers, finally seemed to find a groove against them in the first three innings.

In that span, he allowed three hits - one each to Chad Fonville and Roger Cedeno in the Dodgers' half of the first inning - and struck out six, including five of the next six batters.

Against a team that, going into the game, was hitting only .234 (second worst in baseball) and had scored the fewest runs (147) in the major leagues, Fassero and the Expos had to be optimistic.

And then, suddenly, the Dodgers figured him out.

In the fourth, Piazza walked, Mondesi singled and Ashley walked to load the bases with one out.

Next up was third baseman Mike Busch, who had all of 12 at-bats since he was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on May 1. The result? Line-drive single to center to score two runs, push Ashley to third and give the Dodgers some serious momentum.

Ashley then scored when Gagne grounded to third and beat the throw to first on the second half of what would've been a double play.

The Dodgers weren't through. Fonville reached second to lead off the fifth when he bunted and Webster, playing catcher, threw wildly to first. Fonville went to third when Fassero balked.

Mike Piazza drove a deep single to left-center field to give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead and knock Fassero out of the game.

But the Dodgers were only getting started. With Barry Manuel on the mound, and two out, Mondesi singled to put runners on first and second. Pinch-hitter Todd Hollandsworth then singled and center fielder F.P. Santangelo dropped the ball as he attempted to throw it, allowing both Piazza and Mondesi to score and make it 6-2.

Even slumping Eric Karros got into the act. In the seventh, facing Alex Pacheco, Karros hit his fifth home run over the right-field wall to give the Dodgers a five-run advantage.

Meanwhile, the only glitches in Candiotti's night were the two unearned runs in the second.

After Gagne's error, the right-handed knuckleballer became unhittable: He retired 21 straight batters in what ultimately was his finest performance of the season. The only other hit he allowed with a meaningless double by Santangelo in the the ninth.

When he was finished, he had allowed only four hits and walked only Alou in the first. It was his second straight victory and first complete game.

Candiotti (2-3) hadn't pitched poorly. He came into the game with a 4.28 ERA.

However, as usual, the Dodgers gave him no support. The team had scored three runs or fewer in six of his seven starts. It was a replay of last season, when he had a 3.50 ERA but finished with a record of 7-14.

Finally, on Wednesday, the Dodgers gave him a little help.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) MONDESI

(2) Montreal first baseman Dav id Segui can't come up with a throw as the Dodgers' Chad Fonville crosses the bag safely in the fifth inning.

Associated Press