Rain Ruins Braves vs. Reds Classic in Bristol: Game Suspended

The excitement of baseball was interrupted by rain at the Speedway Classic held at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking a bittersweet moment for Major League Baseball (MLB).The encounter between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, which promised to be historic, was suspended in the first inning due to inclement weather, frustrating the record crowd that had gathered to witness the first regular season game in Tennessee.The game will resume on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, as scheduled.The event, which combined baseball and NASCAR, suffered an unexpected setback.

We are going to suspend tonight’s game… We are optimistic about a better weather forecast for tomorrow.
Michael Hill, Senior Vice President of Field Operations at MLB

Before the suspension, the weather conditions made the game difficult. Even a bat escaped from TJ Friedl’s hands, while a pitcher seemed to lose his balance while covering first base.The Speedway Classic, announced almost a year ago, is part of Commissioner Rob Manfred’s initiative to bring MLB to places where baseball is not played daily. Previously, games were played at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa and in other states.The Reds’ pitcher, Andrew Abbott, sported a NASCAR racing suit, showcasing his connection to motorsports.

I grew up with NASCAR… I went to eBay and found a couple of options, and fortunately that was the one that arrived on time.
Andrew Abbott

The day included a 110-foot Ferris wheel, food trucks, live music, pitching tunnels, and batting cages.The players paraded in the back of pickup trucks with their numbers and were presented among cars with the colors of Atlanta and Cincinnati.The rain forced a delay in the start of the game, which also affected the starting pitchers. Spencer Strider received a bigger ovation than Chase Burns.

Rain Ruins Braves vs. Reds Classic in Bristol: Game Suspended — La lluvia empañó una noche histórica en el Bristol Motor Speedway, donde miles de personas se reunieron para ver a los Braves enfrentarse a los Reds y tuvieron que esperar durante una demora de 2 horas y 17 minutos antes de que el juego se suspendiera en la primera entrada. La acción se reanudará el domingo.

After the suspension, the Braves decided not to risk Strider and opted for Austin Cox.The game started after the rain briefly stopped.Michael Waltrip, a well-known race car driver, restarted the festivities by quoting his brother Darrell.Atlanta failed to score in the first inning, and after a single by Austin Hays for Cincinnati, there was another rain delay.More than 85,000 tickets were sold, surpassing the previous record attendance of 84,587 set on September 12, 1954.The field presented unique challenges, with considerable distances for home runs.