Senga retired 15 of the last 16 Nationals he faced, allowed one walk, struck out five and left with the Mets ahead 4-0. After Jose Castillo and Huascar Brazoban carried the shutout to the ninth — with the help of a run-saving diving catch by centerfielder Tyrone Taylor — things got dicey for the Mets.

The New York Mets staked starting pitcher Kodai Senga a 3-0 lead against the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon. Pitching with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the second, Senga decided it was the perfect opportunity to explore the space with a 2-2 eephus pitch to José Tena.

Its Thursday, June 12 and the Nationals (30-37) are in Queens to take on the Mets (44-24). Michael Soroka is slated to take the mound for Washington against Kodai Senga for New York.

The Mets and Yankees have been the joint custodians of New York City’s rich baseball heritage for more than half a century. The Yanks have been around since 1903. The Mets began play 63 years ago after the departure of the Dodgers and Giants,