{"id":35269,"date":"2022-06-03T17:12:06","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T17:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/graham-ashcraft-tosses-gem-joey-votto-homers-as-reds-beat-nationals\/"},"modified":"2022-06-03T17:12:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-03T17:12:06","slug":"graham-ashcraft-tosses-gem-joey-votto-homers-as-reds-beat-nationals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/graham-ashcraft-tosses-gem-joey-votto-homers-as-reds-beat-nationals\/","title":{"rendered":"Graham Ashcraft tosses gem, Joey Votto homers as Reds beat Nationals"},"content":{"rendered":"
Graham Ashcraft did a big fist pump as he hopped off the Great American Ball Park mound and let out a yell.<\/p>\n
It was the first time he pitched himself into trouble all evening against the Washington Nationals. He had two runners in scoring position, and he couldn’t afford to walk Victor Robles, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, as he protected a three-run lead.<\/p>\n
Ashcraft offered Robles six consecutive sliders. In a full count, the final slider clipped the outside corner for a called third strike to end the inning. Ashcraft was fired up as he led the Reds to an 8-1 victory Thursday to open a four-game series in front of 12,799 fans.<\/p>\n
“The biggest focus has just been filling up the zone,” Ashcraft said. “Don’t try to throw around guys, go right at them and attack them and make them hit my best stuff. I feel like I’m going to beat them every time.”<\/p>\n
Blackberries:<\/strong>Jonathan India feels 100%, but still awaiting clean MRI on hamstring to return to field<\/p>\n Blackberries:<\/strong>Hunter Greene starts fast, loses control fast in Cincinnati Reds’ loss to Red Sox<\/p>\n