CINCINNATI -- The most important part of Wednesday for Graham Ashcraft was just getting back on a big league mound and feeling good about it.

Ashcraft knows as well as anyone that results matter at this level, and results were why he was sent down to Triple-A Louisville after his June 5 start in Colorado.

Ashcraft admitted following a 6-1 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday that he carried a major chip on his shoulder after being demoted earlier this month.

¡°I was pretty upset,¡± Ashcraft said. ¡°So is anybody [in that situation]. I mean, it sucks. You play to get here, and then when you gotta go back, I mean, it's a punch to the gut.¡±

The results were encouraging over the first four innings. Then, Andrew McCutchen hammered a 94.1 mph cutter to center field for a game-changing two-run homer.

Two of the first three batters reached in the sixth against the Cincinnati starter, and eventually scored, and Ashcraft¡¯s day was over.

Ashcraft was tagged for six runs on nine hits and one walk over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three while allowing two home runs. He threw 89 pitches, 54 for strikes.

¡°It was great to have him back, great to have him back on the mound,¡± Reds skipper David Bell said. ¡°He came out strong, especially early. First inning was really good. He fell behind a little and that led to the runs. He was able to throw some good [sinkers]. I think he threw about 10 of them, [some] of them in the zone. So some good signs, and he's gonna continue to get an opportunity here in our rotation.¡±

It was no surprise that Jonathan India provided the only semblance of offense, driving a 97.5 mph sinker from Pittsburgh starter and winner Luis L. Ortiz to the warning track in right-center for a game-tying double in the third.

It ran India¡¯s on-base streak to 11 straight plate appearances before popping out to Oneil Cruz to open the bottom of the sixth.

In the first four innings, he allowed a two-out RBI single to Jack Suwinski and a solo homer to Rowdy Tellez.

Then, in the fifth, he left the cutter over the heart of the plate and McCutchen didn¡¯t miss, sending a missile out to center field for a 4-1 Pittsburgh lead.

Ashcraft wouldn¡¯t get out of the sixth, as the Pirates added two more on a two-run, two-out double by Jason Delay off Justin Wilson. Both runs were charged to Ashcraft.

¡°I felt like it kind of got me back on track with just my mentality and how I was attacking guys,¡± Ashcraft said of his two-start stint in Louisville. ¡°And just like I keep saying, the first couple innings was the perfect example of that. But I have to be able to go and do that -- instead of doing it for four innings, I gotta be able to do it for six or seven. And if I can just keep carrying it over into the next start each time, I definitely will be in a great spot.¡±

Jake Fraley was scratched before the game with a calf contusion, Jeimer Candelario was unavailable due to lingering hamstring tendinitis and knee soreness and Will Benson (0-for-his-past-25) received a mental break day. As a result, the final five spots in Wednesday¡¯s batting order featured Nick Martini in right, Santiago Espinal at third, Stuart Fairchild in center, Livan Soto as DH and Levi Jordan in left.

Despite the 2-4 homestand and the eighth loss in their past 12 games, the Reds are maintaining hope as they head to St. Louis for the opener of a four-game series this weekend against the Cardinals.

"That's the goal, right? I'm trying to go out there and be who I am,¡± Ashcraft said. ¡°And I feel like I am about to kick that door down to take it over. I mean, it's right there. I mean, I'm really close. And it's about to get really fun, that's all I gotta say."

Since debuting with the Reds in 2022, Ashcraft has earned the reputation as the bulldog of the clubhouse. His batterymate appreciated Ashcraft¡¯s sentiments postgame that were in keeping with that reputation.

¡°Yeah, I love that. I mean, yeah, we've had plenty of conversations,¡± Tyler Stephenson said. ¡°And I think that's something that we don't really do. I feel like we've had highs and lows and I feel like we're all kind of like coming together. And hopefully we can all kind of do this thing to kick the door down together. I like that.¡±