BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Eli White hit a three-run homer and a solo shot, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.
White's first homer of the afternoon gave Atlanta a 3-1 lead in the second inning at the historic racetrack. The ball hit the safer barrier after clearing the outfield wall and the track itself.
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Fans gather for the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Fans gather for the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz is tagged out by Atlanta Braves third base Austin Riley during the first inning of the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning of the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Atlanta Braves' Eli White celebrates his home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning of the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
He added his sixth homer of the season on a leadoff shot in the seventh.
Cincinnati went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base. Brent Suter (1-2) got the loss.
Atlanta came in having clinched the season series, winning four of the first six games. The teams split the first two in Cincinnati before coming to Bristol.
The game was scheduled for Saturday, but it was suspended in the first inning because of persistent rain.
Hurston Waldrep (1-0) was on the mound for Atlanta when play resumed. The right-hander was brought up from Triple-A Gwinnett and traveled about 250 miles to Bristol Motor Speedway early Sunday morning. He pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball for his first career win.
The Reds loaded the bases with two out in the eighth after a balk by Tyler Kinley and a walk by Tyler Stephenson. Ke’Bryan Hayes then hit a hard grounder to third, but Luke Williams made a diving stop and threw to second for the forceout.
This was the first time in six games between these teams that it was decided by more than a single run.
Braves: RHP Erick Fedde (3-11, 5.33 ERA) starts Monday against Milwaukee.
Reds: LHP Nick Lodolo (8-6, 3.09 ERA) starts Monday at the Cubs.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Fans gather for the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Fans gather for the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz is tagged out by Atlanta Braves third base Austin Riley during the first inning of the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning of the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Atlanta Braves' Eli White celebrates his home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning of the MLB Speedway Classic baseball game at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. Play was resumed today after yesterday's weather delay. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves had plenty of lulls during the regular season, seemingly coasting at times while struggling to recapture the form that fueled them to consecutive Western Conference finals appearances over the last two years.
The postseason switch sure got flipped against the rival Denver Nuggets, as the players promised all along. The energy and urgency was never greater than in the series-clinching Game 6 victory on Thursday, when the determined Timberwolves shook off the absence of their three best guards and beat the Nuggets 110-98.
“Still part of our growth,” coach Chris Finch said. “We’ve been really good with the high moments. Our consistency sometimes throughout the season isn’t always there, which we don’t really like about ourselves, but we know we have it in ourselves to meet these moments.”
Jaden McDaniels clearly does.
Nobody on the Timberwolves embodies the mercurial nature of this close-knit but often-moody team than McDaniels, the sixth-year forward who made a name for himself in this series.
Tirelessly chasing All-Star guard Jamal Murray around screens and everywhere he tried to go along the perimeter, limiting him to 4-for-17 shooting in Game 6, McDaniels did even more on the offensive end.
With a big chunk of the team's shot creation missing due to injuries to Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu, McDaniels went 13 for 25 from the floor for 32 points with 10 rebounds.
“What I was the most proud about him was just his emotional control, being able to stay poised, not overreact to adversity, calls or missed shots, or mistakes,” teammate Rudy Gobert said. "He stayed present, and he stepped up big time when we needed him the most, so I’m really, really proud of him.”
McDaniels tossed even more spice into this well-developed rivalry early in the series with his blanket “ bad defenders ” jab at the opponent, and he made no secret of the motivation he gets from seeing “Denver” or “Nuggets” sewed on the other team's jersey.
“The only thing I said to him, after he had made his comments, was, ‘Now it’s time to back it up,’” Finch said. “And talking doesn’t matter. You've got to go do it. I knew he was going to put the effort in, so he was ready for it, and he owned it, and he responded.”
McDaniels later irked Nuggets star Nikola Jokic by taking an uncontested layup in the closing seconds of Minnesota's blowout win in Game 4, sparking a brief shoving match.
McDaniels had his worst game of the series in the loss in Game 5 on Monday, when he was booed often by the Denver crowd, but he responded on his home court with one of the best games of his career.
With the Timberwolves trying to put away the game, McDaniels delivered the dagger shot — swishing his signature mid-range pull-up to give them a seven-point lead with 1:06 to play. Then he intercepted a harried pass by Jokic to get the ball back and start a parade to the line.
Jokic gave McDaniels a hug after the final horn, a sign of respect from the three-time NBA MVP despite the irritation he caused all series long.
“I’m just happy it’s over, happy we were able to come out on top,” McDaniels said. “Stuff was said. I’m just happy we were all able to prove our point, get the win and move on to the next round.”
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have been waiting. They'll host Game 1 on Monday.
“I figured the real winner of this series was going to be San Antonio, because both these teams were going to take a lot of pieces out of each other, and did,” Finch said. “So I’m not sure what we have left standing there before we go down there.”
Even if they're short-handed and overmatched, the Timberwolves are a good bet to put up a strong fight.
“You have to believe that you can win, no matter what,” Gobert said. "Obviously we’re missing some pretty important players, right? But no matter who’s out there, we believe in our defense. We believe in trusting one another. Anything’s possible.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) celebrates a basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of Game 6 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez celebrates during the second half of Game 6 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jaylen Clark (22) get into an altercation during the second half of Game 6 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, left, looks on during the second half of Game 6 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) celebrates his three-point basket against the Denver Nuggets during the second half of Game 6 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
