Milwaukee ? Curt Schilling has never been more dominant than he was Sunday.

He struck out a career-high 17 and threw his second career one-hitter in overpowering Milwaukee and leading the Arizona Diamondbacks past the Brewers 2-0.

“I don’t know if he can pitch any better,” Brewers manager Davey Lopes said. “And if he can, I don’t want to see it.”

But Eric Young swears he’s seen Schilling sharper than this.

“It was on TV,” Young said. “In the World Series.”

Schilling had three stellar starts in the World Series and was named co-MVP with fellow ace Randy Johnson.

Schilling was so motivated by his postseason performance that he vowed to approach the new season with similar ferocity. And it’s produced 16 shutout innings, and only seven hits and two walks to go with 26 strikeouts.

“My goal going into spring training this year was to be where I was in October last year,” Schilling said. “I feel that in my first two starts I’ve done that.”

Schilling (2-0) allowed only Raul Casanova’s single to right field in the second inning. He did not permit a runner to reach second base. The shutout was the Diamondbacks’ third of the season in six games.

Schilling was so dominating that fans took to cheering foul balls in the latter innings. He struck out seven of the first 10 batters he faced and fanned the side in the third and fifth innings. He outdueled Ben Sheets (1-1), who gave up one run on five hits in seven innings.

Schilling, who opened the year with seven shutout innings against San Diego, fanned Young for the second out in the ninth, breaking his previous career best of 16 strikeouts set Sept. 1, 1997, against the New York Yankees.

He fanned Geoff Jenkins, Tyler Houston and Jose Hernandez three times each.

Casanova was the only Brewers starter who didn’t whiff.

“It was tough to hit the ball,” said Casanova, who hit a cutter over the plate for Milwaukee’s only hit. “Last night, I struck out three times, so I told myself just make contact today.”

Sheets matched Schilling until the fifth, when Junior Spivey broke a scoreless tie by lining a two-out single that scored Mark Grace, who had doubled with one out and taken third on David Dellucci’s groundout.

“With Junior coming up and me on deck, I’m sure Sheets learned a lesson today, a mistake that he won’t make again,” Schilling said. “Unfortunately, that’s how you have to learn those lessons.”

Reds 6, Expos 5

Cincinnati  Ken Griffey Jr. will miss at least 3-to-6 weeks after injuring his troublesome right knee in a rundown during Cincinnati’s victory. After Scott Sullivan (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 10th, Sean Casey hit an RBI single in the bottom half off Graeme Lloyd (0-1).

Dodgers 6, Rockies 4

Los Angeles  Kevin Brown (1-1) rebounded from a horrible opening-day performance by allowing four hits in seven shutout innings and going 3-for-4 with his second career homer.

Los Angeles outscored the Rockies 24-6 and outhit them 33-18 in sweeping a three-game series. Eric Gagne pitched a one-hit ninth for his first career save.

Mike Hampton (0-2) gave up six runs, 10 hits and five walks in six-plus innings, lowering his ERA to from 14.73 to 11.17.

Braves 5, Mets 2

Atlanta  Marcus Giles hit a three-run homer in the 14th off Saturo Komiyama (0-1) as Atlanta avoided a three-game sweep by winning the longest game by innings and time (4:59) at Turner Field, which opened in 1997.

Albie Lopez (1-1), Atlanta’s eighth pitcher, pitched two scoreless innings.

The Mets, who won the first two games of the series 9-3 and 11-2, scored two runs in the sixth off rookie left-hander Damian Moss, starting in place of the injured Greg Maddux.

Giants 10, Padres 1

San Francisco  Livan Hernandez (2-0) pitched a four-hitter, had three hits and drove in three runs.

The Giants (6-0), the only unbeaten team in the major leagues, are off to their best start since 1930 and have outscored opponents 41-5.

Jeff Kent, in his second day back from the disabled list, hit his first home run of the year and drove in two runs.

Brian Tollberg (0-2) allowed seven runs and 10 hits in six-plus innings.

Astros 7, Cardinals 6

Houston  Daryle Ward hit a leadoff homer in the 12th off Luther Hackman (0-1). Houston rallied from a 6-3 deficit in the ninth against Mike Timlin on Jeff Bagwell’s RBI double and Richard Hidalgo’s two-run single.

Ricky Stone (1-0) pitched two hitless innings and struck out three.

Jim Edmonds hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals and also stole home as part of a ninth-inning double steal.

Phillies 3, Marlins 2

Philadelphia  Pat Burrell homered off Braden Looper (0-2) leading off the 11th,

Cliff Floyd’s homer off Jose Mesa in the ninth gave the Marlins a 2-1 lead. But the Phillies tied it when Burrell’s single set up Mike Lieberthal’s one-out RBI single.

Cliff Politte (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings. He retired Derrek Lee on a bases-loaded flyout to end the 10th.

Pirates-Cubs ppd.

Chicago  Pittsburgh’s chance to sweep a three-game series from the Chicago Cubs was put off by a rainout. The Pirates headed back to Pittsburgh for their home opener tonight against Cincinnati.