New York Mets (53-51) @ Atlanta Braves (59-44)

Date: Monday August 2nd, 2010

Time: 7:10 pm EST

Preview: The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves will start a three game series on Monday at Turner Field in Atlanta. The Mets come into Sunday’s game, two games below .500, and tied in third place in the NL East. New York is 6.5 games out of first place. Angel Pagan has put together a solid season for the Mets, leading the team with a .313 batting average. The power numbers have come from David Wright; with 17 homeruns and 77 runs batted in. New York is batting just .252 on the year, which ranks them 24th in major league baseball. New York will send their ace; and leading ERA man Johan Santana to the mound. Santana is 8-5 with a 3.11 earned run average. He is coming off a rough start, in which he allowed six runs in the first inning to the Cardinals. He did not receive a decision in that game, as the Mets stormed back to tie the game. Santana has a career record of 130-65.

The first place Atlanta Braves will send Tim Hudson to the mound. Hudson is 11-5 with a 2.40 earned run average. The 35 year old from Georgia is 159-83 in his career. The Braves are 3.5 games ahead of the Phillies, for first place in the National League East. Atlanta has been led by Martin Prado, and his .315 batting average, but Prado is out with a broken pinky finger. Atlanta has a team batting average of .260.

My MLB Betting Pick: the home team gets it, in the last at bat. Braves win 3-2 in 10.