MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Shane McClanahan is such an intense competitor that moral victories will never be part of his vernacular. The Tampa Bay Rays left-hander couldn't be happy that he threw four straight no-hit innings after 972 days away from baseball.

And he couldn't because he struggled in the fifth inning, with a pair of walks and a weird hit led to the three runs for the Milwaukee Brewers. They wound up winning 6-2, but McClanahan was taking it all on him, even though he looked great for most of his first start since Aug. 2, 2023 and two serious arm injuries.

"We lost, so I'm having a hard time with that,'' a solemn McClanahan said in the Rays' postgame clubhouse at American Family Field. "I want to win. I'm here to win, and I have to execute better. I want to help this team, and I let them down today.

"I felt good, but I kind of got a little winded (in the fifth inning). That's on me. I've got to do a better job, get in better shape. I'm just frustrated. I had a chance to put this team in the driver's seat, and I sold it. I just got to better.''

McClanahan cruised through the first four innings on just 51 pitches, allowing just one walk to catcher Gary Sanchez, with no hits. The Rays had a 1-0 lead on a Jonathan Aranda first-inning home run and McClanahan was winning the pitcher's duel with Milwaukee's Brandon Woodruff.

But things went awry in the fifth inning. He walked Sanchez again to lead off the inning and then gave up his first hit on a one-out single by outfielder Brandon Lockridge. McClanahan then issued a two-out walk to Joey Ortiz to load the bases.

Up stepped leadoff hitter Brice Turang, who singled to right, scoring two runs. He got caught in a rundown between first and second, and Rays center fielder Cedric Mullins sprinted in to cover the base. He tagged Turang, but the ball came out of his glove after the tag.

He was called out on the field, but the Brewers challenged the call and it was overturned. Ortiz, who kept running through the rundown, was then credited with scoring the third run.

McClanahan would love to have those walks back. Getting a bit tired, his command left him. And as hard as it is to accept it, building up stamina and later-inning strength might take some time.

That's fact, but he doesn't have to like it.

"Unfortunately, it is, and I hate it. I hate that it still might not be there yet,'' McClanahan said. "It pissed me off, because I want to throw as many innings as I can for this team and we're going to improve on it. I can guarantee that. 

"You kind of know that you might not be who you're going to be just yet, and that's frustrating.''

Here's how his outing went:

Hitters
1. Brice Turang lined out to left.
2. Luis Rengifo grounded out to second.
3. William Contreras struck out looking.
Results: No runs, no hits. Rays lead 1-0 after one inning.
Stats: 12 pitches, 10 for strikes.
Pitch mix: Fastball (4), slider (3), changeup (4), curveball (1).

Hitters
4. Christian Yelich struck out looking.
5. Gary Sanchez walked.
6. Jake Bauers lined out to left.
7. Brandon Lockridge flied out to right.
Results: No runs, no hits, one walk. Rays lead 1-0 after two innings.
Stats: 20 pitches, 12 for strikes
Pitch mix: Fastball (5), slider (4), changeup (7), curveball (3)

Hitters
8. Sal Frelick grounded out to shortstop.
9. Joey Ortiz grounded out to pitcher.
1. Brice Turang struck out swinging.
Results: No runs, no hits. Rays lead 1-0 after three innings.
Stats: 11 pitches, 8 for strikes
Pitch mix: Fastball (4), slider (3), changeup (2), curveball (2)

Hitters
2. Luis Rengifo grounded out to second.
3. William Contreras struck out swining.
4. Christian Yelich grounded out to first.
Results: No runs, no hits. Rays lead 1-0 after four innings.
Stats: 8 pitches, 7 for strikes
Pitch mix: Fastball (3), slider (2), changeup (2), curveball (1)

Hitters
5. Gary Sanchez walked.
6. Jake Bauers fouled out to third.
7. Brandon Lockridge singled to left Sanchez to second.
8. Sal Frelick lined out to center.
9. Joey Ortiz walked, Sanchez to third, Lockridge to second.
1. Brice Turang singled to right, Sanchez and Lockridge scored. Turang was safe at second after a Brewers challenge, and Ortiz scored on the review.
Shane McClanahan replaced by Cole Sulser
Results: Three runs (two earned), two hits, two walks  Brewers lead 3-2 after five innings.
McClanahan stats: 28 pitches, 13 for strikes
McClanahan pitch mix: Fastball (13), slider (6), changeup (7), curveball (2)

Innings: 4 2/3
Hits: 2
Runs: 3
Earned runs: 2
Walks: 3
Strikeouts: 4
Pitches: 79
Strikes: 50
Pitch mix: Fastball (29), slider (18), changeup (22), curveball (10)

For manager Kevin Cash, he saw that there was plenty to like from McClanahan. And there's a lot to build on as well. 

"I thought he executed four pitches really  well,'' Cash said. "I was really, really happy and proud of him. I know we've talked about the long comeback, but I felt like he certainly looked like himself really the entire game. He was really good with everything. I was happy with everything that he featured.

"I know he probably wants a couple pitches back there in the fifth inning, but he's got to find some silver linings that he came out, he executed, and gave us an opportunity to win the ballgame.''

Catcher Nick Fortes, who accounted for the Rays' other run with a sixth-inning homer, was equally impressed with McClanahan.

"I thought he looked really good for his first day out in, what, almost a thousand days,'' Fortes said. ''I'm really proud of him, putting in all that work during the spring and looking like he did today. I know he was disappointed that he got a little gassed there, but I don't really think there's much more that you can ask for from him after all that time off.

"He's a competitor, and I love watching him work. I know I'm probably going to be easier on him than he is on himself, and I know that he's going to put the work in to be better the next time, I'm sure.''