Graham Ashcraft battled his emotions as he made today’s start for the Cincinnati Reds just days after the death of his grandmother. That became evident when he burst into tears in the dugout after recording his final out of the day, with hugs from teammates and coaches a clear indication of not just how much she meant to Graham, but how much he means to his teammates these days.
Whether the emotion of the moment did not get to him, or if it provided all the fuel needed to get him through it, Ashcraft once again put the Reds on his back and carried them on the day.