Braxton Ashcraft gives up four runs in defeat

Ashcraft gave up two hits, walked one and struck out five. He improved to 11-4 with the win. Ashcraft didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and the only run he allowed came on a solo home run by Jose Trevino in the fifth inning. Ashcraft has a 3.98 ERA. He’s lined up to face the Brewers on the road on Thursday.

Ashcraft struck out five to earn his 10th win. He had allowed four runs through four innings but settled down over the final two frames to avoid a messier pitching line. The right-hander had recorded a 3.07 ERA before his five most recent starts, raising that mark to 4.05. Ashcraft has now allowed four or more runs in four of those starts. He’s scheduled to face the Reds in Cincinnati next time out.

Ashcraft had zero answers for Jazz Chisholm Jr., who took him deep for a three-run shot in the opening frame and a two-run blast in the third inning. He finished with two strikeouts and only issued one walk. It was a real dud for Ashcraft after a strong first half where he was selected to his first All-Star Game. He’ll attempt to rebound with a home outing against the Cubs on Sunday.

That means the team will push Mitch Keller to next week. It makes sense to use Jones, who is clearly on a pitch count, in the first start after the break because it means the bullpen will be fresh.

Ashcraft was a late addition to the roster on Tuesday, but now he’s not going to pitch after starting today. Griffin has been a great surprise this year in going 10-2 with a 2.77 ERA after signing for just $5.5 million in his return from Japan. Still, this feels like one of those where we’ll be asking in a few years, “how was that guy an All-Star?”

Ashcraft concluded a strong first-half performance with a bit of a dud against Milwaukee’s loaded lineup. He coughed up five hits, including home runs to Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick. The 26-year-old is headed to next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia after posting a respectable 3.49 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 128/27 K/BB ratio across 113 1/3 innings across 19 starts.

The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday. Expect Friday’s probable starters — Braxton Ashcraft and Brandon Sproat — to pitch in one of Saturday’s contests.

It’s a colossal bummer for baseball fans hoping to see Misiorowski hurling triple-digit heaters during next week’s Midsummer Classic, but this was always the expected outcome here. Skenes, Misorowski and Meyer are all taking the ball for their respective club’s first-half finales on Sunday, which means there was zero chance they would be able to pitch in the All-Star Game just three days later. Luzardo, Ashcraft and O’Brien are headed to the game for the first time in their respective careers. It’s likely going to be Shohei Ohtani taking the ball to start for the National League based on how things are lining up from a schedule standpoint.

Ashcraft coughed up a tape-measure leadoff homer to James Wood but managed to keep the Nationals off the scoreboard into the middle innings. He finished with seven strikeouts and only issued a pair of walks. He’s posted at least seven punchouts in four consecutive starts since June 17. It was a much-needed rebound effort after getting tagged for three homers by the Phillies in his previous outing. He’ll face the Brewers at home in his final start before the All-Star break.

Ashcraft allowed three homers in three innings, but he retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced as the Pirates came all of the way back to take an 8-5 lead by the time he left. Ashcraft is the first Pirates pitcher to give up five runs and win since Zach Duke in 2007. Well, in truth, it happened to Carmen Mlodzinski just last month, but you probably didn’t entirely doubt it, did you? Ashcraft is 8-3 with a 3.33 ERA, and he’ll be taking on the Nationals next.