He trotted in from center field when Starling Marte’s line drive landed harmlessly in the left-field grass. He briefly glanced at the pile of joyful Mets trying to squash Marte at first base. Citi Field hadn’t actually waited for the ball to hit the ground before the home-team portion of the 43,693 who’d stuffed the yard for the second straight night started celebrating this 3-2 Mets win.

Aaron Judge reached the dugout, shook his head softly. Two Yankees fans behind the third-base dugout applauded before Judge disappeared into the clubhouse. It was the Yankees’ 10th loss in 15 games. They’re 11-13 in July. There are no alarm bells yet, not 11 ½ games clear in the AL East.

Still, a guy can get used to winning every day, just as a guy can get used to hitting a home run every day. It’s mostly been that kind of year for Judge. Just not this time.

“We’re still one of the best teams in the game,” he said, after expressing delight at the Yankees’ acquisition of ex-Red Sox core player Andrew Benintendi, lately of the Royals. “I wouldn’t judge our season after a couple of weeks.

“Fifteen games doesn’t determine a season. If we win 12 out of 15 people will start asking again what’s gone so right. It’s a long season we have.”

And Aaron Boone, whose tone this year grows more defiant in times of crisis: “We’re unfazed. We know where we’re going.”

It was an aggravating night for the Yankees and a vexing night for Judge, who hasn’t had too many of them this year. He went 0-for-5, stranded five runners. Three times he struck out against the Mets’ Max Scherzer, who was splendid across seven five-hit innings.

In the seventh, Scherzer and Judge teamed up for perhaps the most electric sequence of a New York baseball summer that has been chockablock with them. The Mets led 2-0 — though it felt like it should’ve been more like 4-0 or 5-0 — and Scherzer had just walked DJ LeMahieu to put runners on the corners with two out.

In that moment, we reached the first apex of the baseball season.

In that moment, we had Scherzer versus Judge, certain future Hall of Famer against probable MVP. Ace against slugger. Superstar versus superstar. Sometimes, even the most interesting baseball games can feel like they happen at half-speed. Then you get Scherzer versus Judge. And you could’ve lit up the city.

Scherzer won the duel, fanning Judge on a nasty slider, his 99th pitch of the night, then he pumped his fists and high-fived every teammate on his way through the dugout. But it felt like the Yankees might’ve caught a break, too: Scherzer clearly had emptied his tank against Judge, figuring there was no reason not to. It meant the Mets needed to go to the bullpen.

And five pitches into the bottom of the eighth, 2-0 had become 2-2 on a Gleyber Torres blast off David Peterson, a quality pitcher who looked perfectly petrified by the moment. What it meant was Judge would get one more crack against the Mets, this time in the ninth, this time against Seth Lugo, this time with LeMahieu at first.

This time, the Yankees fans in the crowd lifted their voices to the sky. The Mets fans … well, if you could describe what a collective gulp sounds like, that would define it best. Judge hasn’t just been good this year, he’s broken hearts late in games. And Buck Showalter knew that better than anyone.

“Nobody handles him,” the Mets’ manager said, “you just try to contain him.”

Lugo did that. He got two quick strikes, wasted a curve, then went with a slider. Judge made solid contact. But the ball hopped straight to Francisco Lindor at short. The Mets had contained him one more time. Ten minutes later they were dog-piling at first base.

Tough night at the office for Judge. Tough stretch of the season for the Yankees. And a tough assignment, eyeball-to-eyeball with Scherzer.

“He’s one of the best in the game for a reason,” Judge said. “You can’t expand the zone too much. I’ve got to stay in my zone but he made me expand it and made great pitches.”

The Yankees will be fine, and Judge will be, too. By the time these teams meet again next month the Yankees are certain to look very different, with Benintendi and Giancarlo Stanton in the fold, and who knows who else. Judge will be there, too. And he’ll be aiming at some comfortable walls and gaps. See you in August.