With exhausted bullpens following Saturday’s six-hour, 39-minute, 13-inning marathon game, the pressure is on the Rays’ Shane McClanahan and the Pirates’ Mitch Keller to deliver strong starts on Sunday afternoon in the finale of their three-game series in Pittsburgh.

The Rays used eight relievers and the Pirates used six relievers in a game officially of four hours and 12 minutes that was delayed an additional two hours and 27 minutes by inclement weather, and ended with an 8-7 win for Tampa Bay.

Now, McClanahan (1-1, 3.95 ERA), who last Tuesday picked up his first win since June 16, 2023, will try to make it eight wins in their past nine games for the Rays.

McClanahan gave up two earned runs (three overall) on two hits and four walks, and struck out four in five innings against the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander continued his solid return to the majors this season after missing the past two years following Tommy John surgery and recovery from a nerve issue.

For McClanahan, it was the end of a wait of 1,033 days between wins and a long period of resilience while dealing with his physical issues and the death of his father.

“It was probably the adrenaline dump and emotional release that I’ve had in my entire life,” McClanahan said. “Some days, you don’t think you’re ever going to get to this point again. Proud of who I’ve turned into and the work that I put in, and I know it’s going to get better.”

McClanahan, who is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates, is still fine-tuning things on the mound as he has issued 11 walks and struck out 13 in 13 2/3 innings. But he’s been effective enough for the Rays to win two of his three starts so far. Another such outing would be huge for a Rays staff, which utilized all seven available relievers on Saturday. A roster move could be made to supplement a taxed bullpen.

For Pittsburgh, Keller (1-1, 2.86) was off to one of the best starts in the majors over his first three outings before struggling last Tuesday against the visiting Washington Nationals.

Keller gave up five runs on six hits, walked four and struck out three over four innings (90 pitches) in a game the Pirates lost 5-4.

Over his first three starts (18 innings), Keller had allowed only two runs.

It was the second time this season that Keller walked four batters in a game. But he overcame them by allowing only two runs in a 5-4 home win over the Baltimore Orioles on April 3 — his lone pitching victory of the season.

Keller is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay.

“With Mitch, from the beginning, didn’t have the sharp command, but battled and grinded and got through four innings,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “You could tell from the beginning he wasn’t as sharp as he’s been.”

The Pirates recalled reliever Cam Sanders on Saturday and optioned Jose Urquidy to Triple-A Indianapolis. Mason Montgomery and closer Dennis Santana were the only relievers Pittsburgh did not use in Saturday’s game.

–Field Level Media

Garrett Mitchell has often been on the injured list since his major league debut in August 2022, but he has been healthy this season as he and the Milwaukee Brewers go for a three-game sweep of the host Miami Marlins on Sunday.

“I’m just happy with the way he’s staying healthy,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Mitchell, who drew three walks, stole one base and scored one run on Saturday in Milwaukee’s season-high fourth straight win. “He’s responding after bad results.

“Garrett gives you tough at-bats. He sees a lot of pitches.”

Mitchell, a 27-year-old Californian with elite tools, was Milwaukee’s first-round pick (No. 20 overall) in 2020. In 18 games this year, he has an .877 OPS, which is on pace to exceed his career high of .832 from 2022. He’s getting regular playing time in part because center fielder Jackson Chourio and DH/outfielder Christian Yelich are on the injured list.

As for Sunday’s pitching matchup, it will be a battle of two tall right-handers with triple-digit fastballs: Miami’s Eury Perez (1-1, 5.40 ERA) against Jacob Misiorowski (1-1, 3.32).

Perez, listed at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, is 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA in two career starts against the Brewers.

The Marlins are 3-1 this season when starting Perez, although he has pitched past the fifth inning just once. Perez has elite extension and easy velocity, topping out between 98 and 101 mph. He also has a deadly slider, and his confidence in his other secondary pitches appears to be growing.

Misiorowski, listed at 6-foot-7 and 201 pounds, has never faced Miami.

The Brewers are 2-2 this season when pitching Misiorowski, who has lasted at least five innings in all four of his starts.

Misiorowski, who reaches 100 mph with his fastball, was Milwaukee’s second-round pick in 2022. He made his major league debut last year, going 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, and being selected for the All-Star Game. He struck out 87 in 66 innings, showing off some of the most electrifying stuff in MLB.

This season, he has 33 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.

On Sunday, he will be facing a Marlins squad that has lost seven of their past eight, including a season-high four in a row.

In Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Milwaukee, the Marlins had eight hits — all singles — and five came after the seventh inning.

“I wish I had the magic pill to determine which innings we’re going to do it,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “I think it’s just the ebb and flow of games.

“You will see times when we cash in with runners in scoring position. And you will see games when we get opportunities, and we just don’t come through.”

–Field Level Media

The San Francisco Giants will try to accomplish a couple of firsts for this season in the series finale at the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

The Giants will look to win four consecutive games for the first time and will also try to complete their initial three-game series sweep.

Both are possible because the Giants outlasted the Nationals 7-6 in 12 innings after watching the Nationals tie it in the ninth on Saturday.

A pair of veterans match up in the finale when San Francisco left-hander Robbie Ray (2-2, 2.42 ERA) opposes right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-3, 11.49).

Ray has given up two earned runs or fewer in each of his four starts. On Tuesday, he allowed two runs on two hits and four walks in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

“I felt good,” Ray said. “I felt like the fastball and the changeup were working good. Slider was playing really well. Struggled a little bit with the curveball … that’s something I’m going to work on a little bit going into my next outing.”

He is 3-5 with a 5.21 ERA in nine starts against the Nationals.

Mikolas has struggled, allowing 20 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings. On Tuesday, he gave up three runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings working behind an opener.

He is 5-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 10 games (six starts) versus the Giants.

The Giants rallied from a 5-1 deficit on Saturday, took the lead in the seventh, surrendered it in the ninth and won it in the 12th.

“That was one where the baseball gods didn’t feel like they were going to let us lose today,” manager Tony Vitello said. “There were several moments where we could have lost that game. I’m sure they could say the same in the other locker room. That’s what made it a great, March Madness, playoff-type game.”

Heliot Ramos had three hits, including his second home run in two games. Five players provided two hits each as part of a 16-hit attack.

Ryan Walker surrendered the lead in the ninth but pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the 10th before Caleb Kilian pitched two innings for the win.

“That was super exciting,” Killian said of earning his first major league win in his 18th career appearance. “Probably long overdue.”

For the Nationals, Saturday’s loss was a mistake-filled effort. Miscues in the field and on the basepaths contributed to losing the early lead and later failing to pull the game out. Washington ranks near the bottom of MLB defensively with 18 errors.

“Every day we meet as a team and go through plays from the day before, plays that we did well, plays that we didn’t do well, and then how we want to execute them as a team,” manager Blake Butera said. “I think (Sunday’s) meeting will just be a good bit longer than usual.”

James Wood hit his seventh home run for Washington, which fell to 1-7 at home. He has reached base safely in 12 of his last 13 games since April 5, batting .360 with nine extra-base hits (three doubles, six homers).

–Field Level Media