Spanish
Bristol, Tennessee. — In a setting as unusual as it is memorable, Eli White hit two home runs and Hurston Waldrep earned his first Major League victory to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the Speedway Classic, played at the legendary Bristol Motor Speedway.
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White, 31, became the first player in history to hit two home runs on a NASCAR track, a feat that would not have been possible if Ronald Acuña Jr. had not been on the injured list. His first hit, a three-run homer against Brent Suter in the second inning, traveled 411 feet and bounced on the track beyond the left field wall. Later, in the seventh inning, he hit another home run against Scott Barlow.For his part, Waldrep —the Braves' fourth prospect according to MLB Pipeline— was called in as an emergency after the suspension of the game on Saturday due to rain. He traveled five hours by road to get to Bristol and responded with a solid performance: 5.2 innings of one run, four strikeouts and just two walks.
The victory not only marked a personal milestone for Waldrep, selected in the first round of the 2023 Draft, but will also remain as a unique memory for White, who celebrated his achievements in an improvised winners' zone with a trophy in the style of NASCAR champions. With this result, Atlanta took a historic victory in an event that united Major League Baseball with the atmosphere of car racing, leaving an unforgettable image for players and fans.“It was really good, very impressive,” praised manager Brian Snitker.
