y-position in matplotlib subplots outside axis bounds

I am trying to create a figure with multiple graphs embedded as a pdf using
matplotlib subplots. When I try and specify a particular sub figure, the
graph gets flipped in the y-direction outside the bounds of the axis.

The rectangles and titles are in the correct row. Same axis was passed as
mplfig=a to graph_tool.draw(). If i switch axis to bottom row, it flips to
the top row.

<http://main-discussion-list-for-the-graph-tool-project.982480.n3.nabble.com/file/n4027247/NMI_graph_all.png&gt;

plot command:

a1 = pyplot.subplot2grid((2, 18), (0, 6),rowspan=1, colspan=5)
graph_tool.graph_draw(graph,inline=False,
           pos=react.vp.pos,
           vertex_fill_color=graph.vp.color,
           edge_pen_width=.5,
           fit_view=True,
           vertex_color=[0,0,0,1],
           vertex_size=10,
           edge_color=[0.179, 0.203,0.210, 0.5],
           res=0,
           output_size=outsize,
           mplfig=a1)

Thanks,
William