PITTSBURGH -- Twice now, Zach Davies has taken the ball for the Brewers on a Sunday afternoon following a marathon Saturday night. He started against the Mets on May 5 at Miller Park, a precious few hours after an 18-inning win decimated Milwaukee’s bullpen. And he pitched again Sunday in the wake of a 13-inning win in which relievers covered the final nine innings, including Jeremy Jeffress working for the third time in four days, and Junior Guerra, Matt Albers and Josh Hader each covering two innings.

Even with bullpen reinforcements up from Triple-A San Antonio by Sunday’s first pitch, “we’re short, even with the addition of two guys,” manager Craig Counsell said.

So, Davies worked deep once again.

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Falling three outs shy of the Brewers’ first complete-game effort in two years, Davies pitched into the ninth inning of a 4-2 win over the Pirates at PNC Park that kept the 34-26 Brewers alone atop the National League Central standings with their 60th game in the books.

“When you throw with confidence, when you throw with conviction, you do so much better.” said Davies, who struggled with both during an injury-plagued 2018 season, “You can tell yourself you went down throwing your best pitch, a quality pitch, as opposed to ‘you’re not sure.’ That’s when things take a tumble.”

Davies hasn’t tumbled much this year. On Sunday he allowed two runs on eight hits in eight-plus innings to lower his ERA to 2.20 while surpassing his innings total from all of last season. It was an outing reminiscent of that May 5 gem against the Mets. That day, Davies allowed two runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 3-2 Brewers win.

Still, the Brewers’ only complete games in the last five seasons belong to Jimmy Nelson in June 2017 and Taylor Jungmann in July 2015.

“You do want to add your name to that list,” said Davies. “But at the same time, you want to go out there and have a quality game. When you have the opportunity [to finish it], then it sinks in. But up until that point, my job and my mindset was just to get outs.”

Did the fact the team was coming off another Saturday night marathon change anything?

“Your game plan may change a little bit, where you try to get faster outs,” Davies said. “A guy gets on base, now I’m trying to make a quality pitch down over the plate to try to get a ground-ball double play. But everybody’s goal out there is to pitch as long as you can. Whatever you can get. So, mindset doesn’t change, even if the game plan [does] a little bit.”

His effort was backed by early offense from a lineup missing Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal. Eric Thames delivered the biggest single blow, a two-run homer in the third inning off former Brewers pitcher Jordan Lyles that gave Milwaukee a 3-0 lead at the middle of the third inning.

“Their starter was much better than I was today. That’s the whole story,” said Lyles. “We both knew that we needed to go deep, and he was much better than I was today. … He’s one of the best pitchers in the National League this year for a reason.”

Davies made it stand by holding the Pirates 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position before departing in the ninth after Colin Moran’s leadoff double. Alex Claudio found more trouble when catcher Manny Pina was charged with interference for the second time in three innings, putting the tying run on base.

“That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Pina. “I’ve done it before, but I don’t remember the last time. Last year, I didn’t do it. The year before, I don’t think so. I felt the same, like I was in the same spot. … You want to catch it before the ball breaks too far. I have to keep doing this. I have to do it the same way to get that pitch a strike. If I move back, it’s low and a ball.”

Pina was relieved when Claudio got one out and Corbin Burnes got the other two, giving the Brewers the series, three games to one.

“Today's performance was definitely impressive but [Davies] has done it from Day One of the season,” said Burnes. “Especially after last night's marathon game, to get eight-plus out of him today was pretty special. Overall, he has thrown the ball really well. He doesn't surprise us when he goes out there and does something like that.”

This time, Davies pitched in the ninth inning for the first time in his career.

“Look, you pitch into the eighth inning or the ninth inning on days after extra-inning games, it’s just so huge,” said Counsell. “They are really valuable performances. He was awesome today, very similar to the start he delivered against the Mets.

“Those are the days you need it the most, and he kept the game in check. He was in control the whole time. Just a beautiful job.”