PHOENIX — The proper Mets victory would have kept David Robertson within the bullpen to preserve his bullets for an additional day.
Buck Showalter’s team was in that position Tuesday after Francisco Lindor’s ninth-inning RBI double gave the Mets a four-run lead, removing the save situation.
Drew Smith entered for the ninth, but as a substitute of ending the job, he was removed with two runners on base and two outs.
Robertson ultimately got that final out, but not before the Diamondbacks had brought the go-ahead run to the plate within the Mets’ 8-5 victory at Chase Field.
Showalter charged to the mound and altered pitchers after Smith walked Dominic Fletcher on a full-count curveball with two outs within the ninth.
Nick Ahmed had singled leading off the inning.
“[Smith] was one pitch away,” Showalter said. “If he lands that curveball we don’t should do it.”
Showalter added he “didn’t need to,” use Robertson, but “needed to.”
Smith was coming off three straight scoreless appearances, but has been among the many Mets’ underperforming relievers this season.
He has pitched to a 4.45 ERA in 31 appearances and was suspended for 10 games in June as a result of a violation of MLB’s rules on foreign substances.
D.J. Stewart was chosen from Triple-A Syracuse — with Danny Mendick optioned — to present the Mets a potentially louder bat off the bench and pinch-running option.
Stewart, who entered the sport Tuesday as a pinch runner within the seventh inning for Daniel Vogelbach, who had walked, was on base when Francisco Alvarez homered.
The 29-year-old outfielder got here to the plate with the bases loaded the next inning and hit a shot squarely to right field that went for a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded.
Recent mechanical adjustments have helped Stewart drive the ball higher.
“I never had trouble getting the ball within the air, nevertheless it’s more efficiently,” he said. “I’m not muscling it. I’m using my whole body as a method to get the ball within the air and more power, just using my muscles.”
Jeff Brigham was optioned to Syracuse to create space for reliever Trevor Gott, who was activated a day after the Mets acquired him Monday in a trade with the Mariners.
Jose Quintana is scheduled to pitch in a minor league rehab game on Friday for Triple-A Syracuse and throw 75-80 pitches.
The left-hander then will throw a simulated game at Citi Field during a team workout the next Thursday in the course of the All-Star break and certain shall be ready to hitch the Mets’ rotation in the course of the team’s six-game homestand that opens the second half.
Quintana threw 64 pitches over 2 ²/₃ innings in a rehab start for Syracuse last Friday. He’s getting back from bone-graft surgery on a rib that was performed in spring training.