NEW YORK -- As the last-place team in the National League East, the Atlanta Braves can afford to let someone learn on the job, as right-handed pitcher Ryan Weber will begin to do Wednesday night.Their opponents, the New York Mets, are in the thick of the NL wild-card race, and veteran right fielder Jay Bruce may not have any time left to snap out of a nearly two-month slump.Bruces place in -- or out -- of the lineup is sure to be a central topic Wednesday night, when the Mets try to avoid being swept by the Braves in the finale of a three-game series at Citi Field.Atlanta right-hander Julio Teheran threw seven strong innings Tuesday, when the Braves withstood a late Mets comeback to eke out a 5-4 win. The result, coupled with wins by the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, dropped New York into a three-way tie with the Giants and Cardinals for the two NL wild-card spots.The Giants, Cardinals and Mets are all 81-70.The Mets looked as if they might be mounting a dramatic comeback during a three-run eighth inning Tuesday, when Eric Campbell -- a .172 hitter who had not batted in the majors since May 30 -- produced the second run of the frame with a pinch-hit RBI single. He batted in place of Bruce, who led the NL in RBI prior to an Aug. 1 trade to the Mets.Bruce, who didnt start either Sunday or Monday, went 0-for-3 Tuesday and is batting just .176 in 39 games with the Mets. He is 3-for-37 (.081) dating back to Sept. 5.Manager Terry Collins said it was a difficult decision to pinch-hit for the left-handed-hitting Bruce against southpaw Ian Krol but that he did so in the best interests of the team.Its one of the worst things you can do as a manager -- pinch-hit for a star, especially one of the elite power hitters in the game, Collins said. But you know, my job is to try to win the game.Bruce -- a three-time All-Star with 237 career homers -- said it was the first time he could remember being lifted for a pinch hitter but that he understood Collins decision.He didnt need to explain that to me, said Bruce, who actually was replaced by a pinch hitter eight times previously. I obviously get how the game is played, and you know what his thought process was there. I dont deserve any explanations from the manager. Hes the manager, he makes the decisions.Perhaps Bruce will get a chance to redeem himself against Weber, who will be making his second start of the season and his first since Sept. 5. Overall this year, he is 1-1 with a 5.46 ERA in 15 outings.Weber earned the opportunity to return to the rotation by throwing 4 2/3 innings of one-run relief in place of right-hander John Gant last Friday against the Washington Nationals.He did such a good job the other day, Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said Monday. (He) was efficient and extended it so well, and hes somewhat stretched out. Just get the bird off the ground and get us in flight, see where we end up.Weber is 0-0 with a 7.56 ERA in two career games (one start) against the Mets.The Braves (60-91) look increasingly likely to end up with fewer than 100 losses, something that seemed inconceivable when manager Fredi Gonzalez was fired following a 9-28 start that had the club on pace to lose 120 games.Atlanta is 51-63 under Snitker and needs to win just three of its final 11 games to avoid the franchises first 100-loss season since 1988.They are big (games) for us -- thats why were going out there to win, not to show up, Snitker said. Were going out to try to win the ballgame.Ageless right-hander Bartolo Colon (14-7, 3.14 ERA) will look to serve as the stopper for the Mets. The 43-year-old veteran, who needs one more win to become only the fourth pitcher to ever win at least 15 games at age 43 or older, is 9-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 14 career starts against the Braves.In three starts against Atlanta this year, Colon is 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA. Miguel Rojas Jersey . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. Justin Bour Jersey ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. http://www.marlinsteamproshop.com/Marlins-Martin-Prado-Kids-Jersey/ . 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Some things to watch in Week 3 in the Big Ten.GAME OF THE WEEKNo. 3 Ohio State travels to No. 14 Oklahoma for a matchup of teams expected to challenge for spots in the College Football Playoff and the two most storied teams in the history of the Top 25. The Buckeyes have averaged 62.5 points through two games, their defense has yet to allow a touchdown and the program has won a nation-leading 18 straight road games. Time to see what the young Buckeyes can do in a hostile environment. The once-beaten Sooners probably can afford no more losses if they want to play in a national semifinal for the second year in a row. In his seven home games, Baker Mayfield has completed 69 percent of his passes and thrown for 20 TDs against two interceptions. This time hell be going against the highest-ranked team to visit Norman since 2008.BEST MATCHUPThe Oregon offense against the Nebraska defense in a measuring-stick game for both teams. The Ducks offense has been extremely sharp, averaging 577 yards against overmatched opponents with new quarterback Dakota Prukop and running back Royce Freeman leading the way. Nebraskas defense appears greatly improved from 2015 with its veteran linebackers and a Nate Gerry-led secondary that intercepted five passes last week against Wyoming. If the defensive line can be disruptive, Prukop and the Ducks could be in for a tussle in Lincoln.INSIDE THE NUMBERSWinless Northwestern, which hosts Duke, hasnt started 0-3 since 1992. ...North Dakota State, which visits Iowa , has won five in a row against FBS opponents since 2010 and is 8-3 all-time against teams from the top tier. ... Penn State is 12-0-1 all-time at home against Temple.dddddddddddd. The Nittany Lions last year lost for the first time in 40 meetings with the Owls. ... Rutgers, which hosts New Mexico, has outscored its first two opponents 27-0 in the fourth quarter and 48-14 in the second half. ... Illinois is averaging four sacks a game, and Carroll Phillips is tied for the FBS lead with 6.5 tackles for loss. ... Marylands Perry Hills enters his game at UCF completing a Big Ten-best 73 percent of his passes.LONG SHOTMichigan State visits Notre Dame for the 50th anniversary of the 1966 Game of the Century tie, and for the Spartans to win they must be much sharper than they were in a 28-13 season-opening victory over FCS Furman. The touchdown-underdog Spartans are coming off a rare early open date, and theres been an all-Irish, all-the-time focus for two weeks. QB Tyler OConnor shouldnt be fazed by the stage. He started in Ohio Stadium for an injured Connor Cook last year and beat the Buckeyes. OConnor gives the Spartans their best chance if he can take advantage of a vulnerable Notre Dame secondary.PLAYER TO WATCHNorthwestern QB Clayton Thorson, if he can get some blocking from his offensive line, will determine whether the Wildcats bounce back from an 0-2 start or see their season spin out of control. Thorsons late fumble cost the Wildcats in the opener Western Michigan, and he was just 17 of 41 in the embarrassing loss to FCS Illinois State. The onus on Thorson is even greater if star RB Justin Jackson is slow to come off his lower-body injury. 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