“This is the last time I have Graham Ashcraft on my fantasy team” - Cincinnati Reds fans once again despairing after starter Graham Ashcraft gets lit up for 7 runs by the Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs had a good old-fashioned beatdown on Cincinnati Reds starter Graham Ashcraft this evening. Over the 2.1 innings he pitched, they tagged him for seven runs on seven hits and two walks.

Most of the damage came in the second inning when Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom crushed a grand slam. However, it all started in the first inning when Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras managed to take advantage of an error to score a run. That made it 1-0.

At the start of the second inning, everything started going wrong for Ashcraft. First, he allowed a leadoff single to P.J Higgins. One pitch later, he allowed another single to David Bote. Christopher Morel then reached base on an infield hit, thus loading the bases.

Rafael Ortega came up next. He hit a sacrifice fly and brought in Higgins from third base to make it 2-0. Wilson Contreras then almost ended the inning with a ground ball that the Reds could've turned into a double play. If they had, Ashcraft's night might still be going right now.

However, they only managed to get one runner. There were two outs when Ian Happ walked and re-loaded the bases. Patrick Wisdom stepped up the plate next — the worst hitter in the Cubs lineup that Ashcraft could've faced at that moment. Wisdom has hit 14 home runs this season.

He crushed a grand slam on the third pitch of this at bat. At that point, Ashcraft's night was as good as over.

MLB Twitter reacted immediately. Based on his recent success, Ashcraft was a popular baseball fantasy pickup ahead of today's game. His performance this evening was ruinous for many fantasy managers.

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MLB Twitter reacts to Cincinnati Reds starter Graham Ashcraft's terrible performance against the Chicago Cubs

Cincinnati Reds starter Graham Ashcraft carried a 3.27 earned run average into today's start.

Graham Ashcraft's performance today seemed to encapsulate much of the Cincinnati Reds' 2022 season. There's so much talent on the team but so few positive results.

The team is in a rebuilding phase. In two or three years, they'll stand a much better chance of contending.

Like Hunter Greene, Ashcraft is a young pitcher. He needs time and patience to develop at the big league level.

Ashcraft certainly had an off-day today. He managed just two strikeouts.

Fantasy managers who started Ashcraft lived out their worst nightmare today.

At the time of writing, the Cincinnati Reds were down 2-9 in the sixth inning.