After the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves were unable to make it through the first inning the night before, the two teams returned to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, Aug. 3, to complete MLB’s inaugural Speedway Classic.
Under cloudy but clear skies, Braves outfielder Eli White hit a pair of home runs and minor-league call-up Hurston Waldrep pitched 5⅔ innings of one-run ball to lead the Braves to a 4-2 victory.
The history-making clash marked the first-ever major league game in the state of Tennessee and the first to be held at a NASCAR race track.
USA TODAY Sports provided running updates on how the game unfolded. Scroll below the gallery for a full recap.
MLB Speedway Classic linescore
Raisel Iglesias shaky but nails down save
Braves closer Raisel Iglesias hasn’t had his best season, but he was called on to protect a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth.
He got into immediate trouble by allowing a sharp single to center field, which brought the tying run to the plate in Reds second baseman Matt McLain. With the count 1-0, McLain made a bid to do just that when he lifted a fly ball down the right field line.
Braves outfielder Eli White appeared to have a play, but he bumped into the wall just as the ball hit his glove.
The ball somehow remained in play, while the runner on first base, TJ Friedl, had to stay close to the bag in case White caught it. He was only able to advance to second.
Iglesias was able to bear down, striking out Elly De La Cruz, and then getting Austin Hays and pinch-hitter Jake Fraley on popups to finish off the 4-2 win. It was Iglesias’ 14th save in 19 opportunities.
Call-up Hurston Waldrep comes up big
A mere 24 hours earlier, Braves pitching prospect Hurston Waldrep was preparing to make his scheduled start for the Class AAA Gwinett (Ga.) Stripers. But that was before rain forced the suspension of the Speedway Classic and his team needed some emergency pitching help.
Waldrep had to leave his teammates at 5 a.m. and head to Bristol, Tennessee, for his first MLB apprearance of the season. And not only that, he was told he’d be taking the mound when the game resumed.
Despite all that, Waldrep surpassed even the highest expectations by tossing 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball before exiting at the end of the sixth. If the Braves can hang on, Waldrep is in line for his first major league win.
Top 7th: Eli White goes deep again for Atlanta
Outfielder Eli White has provided the Braves with all the offense they’ve needed so far. Entering the game with only four home runs the entire season, White hit his second of the day in the top of the seventh, sending a Scott Barlow sinker 413 feet over the wall in left center for a 4-2 Atlanta advantage.
White was hitting .249 in 197 at-bats coming into the game.
Braves 3B Austin Riley exits early
The Braves made an unexpected substitution in the top of the third inning when Luke Williams pinch-hit for third baseman Austin Riley.
There’s been no official word on an injury to Riley, but he did seem a bit shaken up after diving to tag out Reds speedster Elly De La Cruz right before he touched home plate in the bottom of the first inning.
Riley had recently come off a stint on the injured list with an injury to his side. Braves manager Brian Snitker told the Fox Sports broadcast Riley ‘was feeling it a little bit’ and he didn’t want to risk making anything worse, so he removed his third baseman as a precaution.
Bottom 2nd: Braves 3, Reds 2
Cincinnati scored a single run for the second consecutive inning with Matt McLain — who scored the game’s first run on Saturday night — driving in the Reds’ second one on a sacrifice fly.
Catcher Tyler Stephenson drew a one-out walk, went to second on a single by Ke’Bryan Hayes and moved to third on a walk to TJ Friedl. McLain’s fly ball to center field was deep enough for Stephenson to come home and cut the deficit to one run.
Top 2nd: Braves 3, Reds 1
Braves right fielder Eli White flipped the script in the top of the second inning as Atlanta mounted a two-out rally.
Following singles by Michael Harris and Ozzie Albies, White — playing in place of injured All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr. — deposited Brent Suter’s changeup into the left field stands for a three-run homer.
How to watch the MLB Speedway Classic
The MLB Speedway Classic between the Reds and Braves will continue on Fox. Fans can stream it on Fubo.
Watch the MLB Speedway Classic with Fubo
What time does the MLB Speedway Classic restart?
The Reds and Braves will resume play at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
Date: Sunday, Aug. 3
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Stream: Fubo
Location: Bristol Motor Speedway (Bristol, Tennessee)
Sunday weather update for Bristol Motor Speedway
Much better conditions are on tap for the resumption of MLB’s Speedway Classic. Sunday afternoon’s forecast from The Weather Channel calls for mostly cloudy skies and the possibility of occasional light showers. Temperatures will hover in the low 70s.
Reds’ Tyler Stephenson pays tribute to ‘Talladega Nights’
Even though the two teams didn’t even finish the first inning, there was one winner last night: Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson.
The inevitable comparisons between baseball and NASCAR throughout the broadcast couldn’t compare to Stephenson’s catching gear he had specifically created for this game.
Stephenson paid tribute to Will Farrell’s firesuit from the movie ‘Talladega Nights’ with his Wonder Bread-inspired chest protector. And he continued the theme with some colorful cleats.
“I was just thinking of stuff to do and reached out to the EvoShield people,’ Stephenson told MLB.com. ‘I was thinking of a NASCAR theme – and ‘Talladega Nights.’ It’s a classic movie. They did a great job and decided to wear it.”
Batting orders for Braves, Reds at Speedway Classic
Here are the lineups both teams will have when the game resumes:
Atlanta Braves
LF Jurickson Profar
1B Matt Olson
3B Austin Riley
*DH Drake Baldwin
C Sean Murphy
CF Michael Harris II
2B Ozzie Albies
RF Eli White
SS Nick Allen
RHP Hurston Waldrep
Cincinnati Reds
CF T.J. Friedl
2B Matt McLain
SS Elly De La Cruz
DH Austin Hays
*LF Miguel Andujar
RF Noelvi Marte
1B Spencer Steer
C Tyler Stephenson
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
LHP Brent Suter
*-due up next when game resumes
Braves, Reds make lineup, roster changes
The suspension of the Speedway Classic on Saturday night has forced both teams to make some pitching changes before they return to the field.
The Braves have promoted right-hander Hurston Waldrep from the minors and will have him take over on the mound with one out in the bottom of the first inning. Waldrep had been scheduled to start on Sunday for Class AAA Gwinnett.
The Reds have promoted pitcher Lyon Richardson from Class AAA Louisville and optioned outfielder Will Benson to give them an additional arm for the game. Manager Terry Francona said veteran reliever Brent Suter will take over when the Reds take the field in the top of the second.
Speedway Classic weather issues
The Speedway Classic was set to start at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, but rain began falling during pregame activities and the tarp was unrolled at 7:19 p.m. It remained there until skies cleared around 8:50 p.m.
The game eventually started at 9:40 p.m. ET, but since Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider had already gone through his pregame warmup routine, the team decided to scratch him in favor of reliever Austin Cox.
The Reds stuck with their original starter, Tennessee native Chase Burns, who retired the Braves in order in the top of the first.
But the skies began to open up once again – quickly turning the playing field into a quagmire as the Reds scored on Austin Hays’ one-out RBI single. Play was halted immediately after that and ultimately suspended for the night.