Shutout Ensures Dodgers a Sweep : Baseball: They finally solve Olympic Stadium, gain confidence with 1 1/2-game lead in West after 5-0 victory.

The Dodgers passed through customs late Wednesday night, presented two dozen baseballs to customs officials, and were asked if they had anything to declare.

Well, now that you mention it, although they may not have it officially in their possession, and there are five weeks to play, the Dodgers honestly believe they left Canada with the National League West division championship.

The Dodgers let everyone know that they think they’ll win the West after their 5-0 victory over the Montreal Expos.

“We’re done scoreboard watching,” said catcher Mike Piazza, who hit his fourth home run in three games. “We’ve not even going to see who Colorado is playing or San Diego is playing. We know we’re the team to beat.”

Said right fielder Raul Mondesi: “I know we can’t get too overconfident, but we’ve got everything now. I’m not saying we’re going to win the World Series, but the way we’re playing. . . .”

After coming into the house of horrors known as Olympic Stadium and pulling off their first sweep in 15 years, the Dodgers believe the baseball gods are letting them know this is their year. Who can blame them for acting as if their biggest worry is whether to book hotel reservations in Cincinnati or Atlanta for the first round of the playoffs?

The Dodgers last swept the Expos in Montreal on Aug. 19-21, 1980--when coaches Bill Russell and Reggie Smith were players.

“I don’t even know what I was doing back then,” said Dodger starter Ramon Martinez, 27, who will be a free agent at the season’s conclusion but has all intentions of returning. “We’ve been playing so badly here, and to get three out of three is unbelievable.

“I said if we go home in first place, I know this team will take off. We’re in good shape.”

Martinez (13-7) made it possible by pitching a five-hit shutout. Martinez knew he needed to pitch at least eight innings because of the Dodgers’ fatigued bullpen, and gave up only one hit after the third inning. He became the first pitcher to throw a shutout at Olympic Stadium since May 12, 1992, when Kevin Gross performed the feat.

“When I saw him warming up,” Delino DeShields said, “I said, ‘All we’ve got to do is get him some runs.’ The timing couldn’t be better. Really, it’s just like old times.”

Piazza, the first Dodger player to hit 20 or more homers in his first three seasons, has hit five in the last eight games. Third baseman Tim Wallach, who hit a two-run homer in the fifth, is batting .333 on the trip. DeShields has regained his starting job at second. And Brett Butler is a teammate again.

“I felt like last year when we were on the verge of something special,” DeShields said. “It would be a good way to send those guys out like Eli [Wallach] and [Mitch] Webster.

“We’ve got some unfinished business.”

Certainly, the Dodgers have made believers out of Expo Manager Felipe Alou. A month ago he insisted the Colorado Rockies were the team to beat, predicting they’d be in the playoffs. Now, after watching the Dodgers rip apart his team for three days, he’s convinced the Dodgers will be playing in October.

“I think we all knew this would happen eventually,” Dodger closer Todd Worrell said. “We’ve got that inner confidence now. And we’ve got to be fun to watch.

“I think everybody has been so worried about Piazza and [Eric] Karros, but if Eli keeps swinging the bat like he is, who’s going to beat us? Really, who’s going to beat us?”

The Dodgers (59-51) have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Rockies and a four-game cushion over the San Diego Padres with 34 games remaining. It’s too early to order the champagne, and no one is out spending their playoff shares, but the mood in the Dodger clubhouse this season never has been so giddy.

They stole the clothes out of the lockers of Hideo Nomo, Ismael Valdes, Todd Hollandsworth and Antonio Osuna, making them wear clothes straight out of the disco era. They laughed. They took pictures. Then they blamed one another for Nomo’s outfit being too similar to everyday wear.

Even Karros, who struck out four times Wednesday and is in a three-for-27 slump (.111), couldn’t help but laugh at his own expense.

“As long as [Chad] Fonville doesn’t grow another foot and take my job at first,” Karros said, “I’ll be all right. I got the height advantage on him now.

“But really, this is just like I’ve been saying. One guy is not going carry this club. It may happen for one week or two weeks, but you’re not going to be able to ride one guy to the pennant.

“Now, you’re seeing everyone contributing.

“We’ve got a long ways to go, but it sure is a nice feeling.”