Dodgers’ Opening Night a Smash : Baseball: There are fireworks aplenty as 51,181 see Ashley drive in five runs during a 9-1 rout of Atlanta Braves.

The bunting covered the upper decks, the World Series banners graced the outfield fence, and the fireworks display lit up the sky Friday night, but no one was fooled into believing this was your typical opening day at Dodger Stadium.

This, after all, was an opener starting 2 1/2 weeks late. It was the first night home opener in 20 years. There were fans picketing outside, replacement umpires inside, and even players signing autographs in the stands one hour before game time.

Yet there was quite another unique feature to this game, as the Dodger players confessed after their 9-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in front of a sellout crowd of 51,181.

Silly as the notion may seem, considering there are 141 games remaining, the Dodgers declared this was a game that could have far-reaching effects.

“We wanted to come out and play well,” Dodger second baseman Delino DeShields said, “because we were playing one of the best teams in the game. No one was saying it was going to make or break this club, but it sure was a chance to tell something about our club.

“I think we sent a message that we’re not going to be taken lightly.”

Said first baseman Eric Karros: “To me, it was a way to measure our ballclub. They’ve been the class of the National League since ‘91, and we wanted to see how we’d measure up.”

It might be premature for anyone to get overly excited about the Dodgers’ victory, or even the fact their 3-0 record is their best start since 1981, but the overnight ratings are a smashing success.

The Dodgers, exhibiting a display of speed, power, pitching and, yes, relief pitching, crushed the Braves in every facet of the game. The Dodgers, with nine hits, four extra-base hits and four stolen bases, limited the Braves to a mere four hits.

“Don’t let anyone fool you,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said, “they’ve got a hell of a ballclub.”

It didn’t even matter this night that all-star catcher Mike Piazza and third baseman Tim Wallach were out of the lineup, not with the unveiling of left fielder Billy Ashley.

Ashley, hitless this season after striking out in the first inning, put on a show that will be preserved for the family scrapbook.

Ashley hit a run-scoring double in the fourth inning, a sacrifice fly to the center-field wall in the fifth inning, and a three-run homer to the left-field pavilion in the seventh. In all, Ashley wound up driving in a career-high five runs, and his homer off Mark Wohlers was only the fifth he has yielded in his three-year career.

“After my first at-bat,” Ashley said, “there were some people screaming and yelling, ‘Rookie, go back to Albuquerque.’

“I’m just glad it ended up the way it ended. I think I made a few friends tonight.”

DeShields set the stage for the night in the first inning when he hit Steve Avery’s first pitch for a double over the head of his buddy, center fielder Marquis Grissom. Jose Offerman tried and failed on the first pitch to bunt him over, but on a 1-2 pitch to Offerman, DeShields took matters in his own hand.

He took off for third, and Charlie O’Brien’s throw bounced off DeShields’ helmet, and rolled into right field. DeShields scored standing up.

By the time the game ended, there were heroes everywhere. DeShields reached base three times, and had two stolen bases. Karros, who had only four stolen bases in his career, stole a base and went two for four. Raul Mondesi went two for four with a double and RBI. And Garey Ingram, who had played third base for only five innings in his professional career, went two for three with an RBI.

Oh, yes, there was the pitching.

The Braves’ lone run was scored on a bases-loaded walk by starter Pedro Astacio in the fifth inning. Reliever Omar Daal, the winning pitcher, was promptly summoned with the bases loaded. He ran the count to 3-and-2, and retired Fred McGriff on a grounder to second.

* ROSS NEWHAN

They didn’t show it in Friday night’s game, but the Braves could be the class of the National League. C4

* NOT THE TICKET

A group of picketing fans show displeasure at Dodger Stadium’s main entrance with the “field of greed.” C4