New York Mets - Atlanta Braves

The New Mets and Atlanta Braves will play Game 3 on Sunday, Sep 11, at Turner Field.  The Braves will start Williams Perez (2-2, 5.47 ERA) in the finale of the 3-three-game series.  [The teams split the first 2 games - New York won Game 1, Atlanta had the victory in Game 2]. Perez lasted just 2 1/3 innings vs. the Nationals on Tuesday in his return to Atlanta's rotation [after spending the summer on the disabled list with a strained right rotator cuff], giving up six runs on eight hits, including two home runs, in the Braves' 9-7 loss.  New York Mets will send starter Seth Lugo to the mound, who went 7-seven strong innings in his last start, allowing just 1-one run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks in a 5-1 win over Washington on Sept. 4.  Lugo (3-2, 2.38 ERA) has never faced the Braves, but he has a 2.21 ERA against National League opponents over 40 2/3 innings.  Since August 25 start against the Cardinals, Lugo is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA.  This game is very important for the Mets - a win will help New York to keep up the pace with St. Louis and San Francisco for a place in the Playoffs: The Mets enter the play Sunday trailing St. Louis by a half-game for the National League's second Wild Card spot. With that said, I am picking the New York Mets with the spread of (+1.5) runs.

UPDATE September 11, 2016 - FINAL Result: New York Mets 10-3  Atlanta Braves.  New York Mets had a strong showing in their 10-3 blowout over the Braves. The Braves starter Perez left the game early due to a right triceps impingement.  Mets' starter Lugo contributed greatly for the win by pitching 7-seven strong innings of a two-run ball. He improved to 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA in five starts since joining the rotation. The hero of the match, Yoenis Cespedes, hit a grand slam for his 30th homer, moving the Mets a half-game in front of St. Louis for the NL's second Wild Card spot [The Cardinals lost 2-1 from The Brewers].  If we look at some codes, the name "Yoenis Cespedes" equals 856 in Latin Gematria. '856' translates to "bitterness, trouble, a ruin" - it makes an interesting connection/analogy to the date of the match (9/11): this Sunday marks the 15-year anniversary of the the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.