NEW YORK — The Mets waited four months for their ace to get back on the Citi Field mound. Right-hander Kodai Senga was worth the wait, looking every bit his dominant self in his 2024 debut Friday night at Citi Field against the Atlanta Braves.

But in the sixth inning, Cody Riley popped one up to the infield and Senga injured his calf coming off the mound to back up the play. He was removed from the game with a left calf strain, the severity of which is currently unknown.

The Mets went on to defeat the Braves, 8-4, handing their NL East foes their sixth straight loss and moving ahead of them in the NL wild-card standings. But it’s hard to feel good about a win after losing your ace.

Senga gave up a two-run homer to Adam Duvall in the second inning, putting Atlanta (54-48) on top 2-0. But the lead didn’t last long, as the Mets (55-48) used a three-homer third inning to score seven runs and chase right-handed starter Charlie Morton from the game.

An error by Riley put Tyrone Taylor on to start the bottom of the third, and Morton then hit Francisco Lindor with a pitch and walked Brandon Nimmo to load the bases. Morton fell behind on J.D. Martinez, trying to work the outside corner against the right-handed slugger. He fell behind 3-1 and left a fastball belt-high. Martinez drove it the other way for his ninth career grand slam, giving the Mets a 4-2 lead.

Pete Alonso grounded out for the first out, but the inning continued with more of the same. Jeff McNeil, having been moved up to fifth in the order, doubled off the center-field wall, coming just short of a home run. Mark Vientos then cracked his 13th of the season with a two-run shot to left off Morton.

With two out, Francisco Alvarez put one in the seats for his fifth of the year. Finally, the Braves yanked Morton (5-6) in favor of right-hander Daysbel Hernandez, who got Taylor out to end the inning.

The damage was done: The Mets were on top by five runs, 7-2. They scored again in the fourth to pad their lead.

Only five of Morton’s runs were earned, but the Mets had still managed to smack around a pitcher they’ve long had trouble with and get him out of the game in the third inning.

Citi Field was absolutely electric. A packed crowd was on its feet, dancing to multiple renditions of “Omg” by Jose Iglesias.

But then Senga went down and the air was sucked out of the stadium. The Mets dugout held its collective breath; fans gasped. The 31-year-old Japanese hurler remained on the ground in obvious pain as the training staff attended to him. Senga walked off the field on his own as the fans gave him an ovation.

In his first, and possibly only start of the season, Senga (1-0) held the Braves to two earned runs on two hits, walked one and struck out nine over 5 1/3 innings.

Right-hander Eric Orze, making his Citi Field debut, came on for Senga and immediately gave up a home run to Marcell Ozuna. He then walked Matt Olson, but settled in from there, finally recording the first outs of his big league career. The two-time cancer survivor pitched 1 2/3 innings, giving up only the homer to Ozuna.

Jake Diekman pitched around a leadoff homer by Duvall in the ninth to secure the win.

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