White (2 HRs), Waldrep put Braves in victory lane at Speedway Classic

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Eli White became the first player to homer not just once but twice at a NASCAR track and Hurston Waldrep earned his first MLB win pitching at the famed venue where Darrell Waltrip tasted so much success.

Needless to say, the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic created some lifelong memories for the Braves, who used the contributions of White and Waldrep to claim a 4-2 win over the Reds on Sunday afternoon at Bristol Motor Speedway.

“Cool trivia has always been cool to be a part of,” White said. “So, yeah, that’s super special.”

White wouldn’t have been in the lineup had Ronald Acuña Jr. not been on the 10-day injured list with the right calf strain he suffered on Tuesday. As for Waldrep, he would have never even come to Bristol if rain hadn’t forced the game to be suspended after just four outs on Saturday night.

“After we took [Waldrep] out, I was like, ‘After everything we put you through today, you have done your job,’” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He was really good. Really impressive.”

• Riley exits with abdominal pain after incredible diving play

Instead of making the scheduled return to Atlanta on Saturday night, the Braves returned to their hotel a little after midnight. This was about an hour after Waldrep was awoken in the Atlanta area and told he would be getting further details about pitching Sunday in the Speedway Classic.

The further details were that a car service would be picking him up at 5 a.m. to make the approximately five-hour drive to Bristol.

“I didn't really have time to sit here and think about how it all happened, but you know, nonetheless, I’m grateful for it,” Waldrep said. “I’m happy to be here. It's just been an unbelievable day.”

Waldrep, who ranks as the Braves’ No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline, cleaned the mess he inherited in the first inning and then gained a lead courtesy of White’s three-run homer off Brent Suter in the second. The 411-foot shot bounced off the track’s bank beyond the left-field wall.

White added to his historic achievement by adding a seventh-inning leadoff homer against Scott Barlow. It was the second multihomer game of the 31-year-old outfielder’s career and of course, the first multihomer game recorded at a racetrack.

“They both kind of blurred together honestly,” White said. “I kind of blacked out after I hit both of them.”

White’s first two-homer game since 2021 provided plenty of support for Waldrep, who needed just 75 pitches to limit the Reds to one run over 5 2/3 innings. He got his first career win at the same racetrack where Waltrip won 12 NASCAR Cup Series races, including seven straight from 1981-84.

Waldrep, a 2023 first-round Draft selection (24th overall), struck out four and issued just two walks. It was a very efficient outing for the young hurler who has had a 12.3 percent walk rate at the Triple-A level this year.

Upon arriving at Bristol, Waldrep learned he would take the mound with two on, one out and the Reds leading, 1-0. A short time later, he exited and proved he has come a long way since last year, when he allowed 13 runs and completed just seven innings over two starts.

“He’s made a lot of strides,” Snitker said.

Spending all of this season at Triple-A allowed Waldrep to return to the Majors looking much more prepared. He could stick around to aid an Atlanta rotation that has five members on the 60-day injured list.

“It's all just a chance to grow and to make myself better and to make sure everything is individually fine-tuned so that when the time comes, there's not a question about [being ready],” Waldrep said.

Much like Waldrep will never forget the unique nature of his first win, White will have fond memories of the days he bounced a couple of homers off a racetrack. His accomplishments landed him in a makeshift victory lane, where he held a big trophy that resembled the ones given to others who have conquered Bristol.

“It was a super special experience all around,” White said.