The Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds faced each other at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, marking the first official Major League Baseball game held in the state of Tennessee. The historic matchup was originally scheduled to commence at 7:15 p.m. ET; however, weather conditions caused significant delays. After a prolonged rain delay, the game finally got underway with the first pitch thrown at 9:40 p.m. ET, but the contest was halted before a full inning could be completed due to inclement weather.

With additional delays, Major League Baseball announced that the game would resume the following day, set to pick up at 1 p.m. ET. On the mound for Cincinnati, pitcher Chase Burns executed a scoreless first inning. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s Austin Cox faced four batters before the game was suspended in the bottom of the first, where he struck out TJ Friedl. However, Cox also permitted hits from Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, and Austin Hays, with Hays driving in McLain to give the Reds a 1-0 lead. The game will resume with one out in the bottom of the first inning and runners on first and second base.

The event featured a pregame introduction by actor Liam Neeson, and players embraced the unique setting, showcasing special uniforms and accessories. Notably, Grammy Award-winning artists Tim McGraw and Pitbull performed prior to the game and took time to meet with the Reds in their clubhouse. All-Star starting pitcher Andrew Abbott appeared in a sleeveless race suit autographed by Rusty Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion. In an engaging display, players from both teams were driven around the track, and the introduction of the starting lineups echoed a distinctive NASCAR theme. Bristol Motor Speedway has a typical capacity of 146,000 for NASCAR events, although some seats were covered for this occasion, yet more than 85,000 tickets were sold for the matchup, creating an electric atmosphere. Reds manager Terry Francona expressed admiration for the venue, noting its impressive construction and layout. This game held particular significance for the Reds, who were positioned 3.5 games behind the final National League wild card spot with a 58-53 record and 8.5 games back from the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. Conversely, the Braves occupied the last place in the NL East with a record of 46-63.