PHOENIX — The perfect Mets victory would have kept David Robertson in the bullpen to preserve his bullets for another 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 instead of finishing 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 in the Mets’ 8-5 victory at Chase Field.
Showalter charged to the mound and changed pitchers after Smith walked Dominic Fletcher on a full-count curveball with two outs in 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 have to do it.”
Showalter added he “didn’t want to,” use Robertson, but “had to.”
Smith was coming off three straight scoreless appearances, but has been among the Mets’ underperforming relievers this season.
He has pitched to a 4.45 ERA in 31 appearances and was suspended for 10 games in June due to a violation of MLB’s rules on foreign substances.
D.J. Stewart was selected from Triple-A Syracuse — with Danny Mendick optioned — to give the Mets a potentially louder bat off the bench and pinch-running option.
Stewart, who entered the game Tuesday as a pinch runner in the seventh inning for Daniel Vogelbach, who had walked, was on base when Francisco Alvarez homered.
The 29-year-old outfielder came to the plate with the bases loaded the following 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 better.
“I never had trouble getting the ball in the air, but it’s more efficiently,” he said. “I’m not muscling it. I’m using my whole body as a way to get the ball in 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 following Thursday during the All-Star break and likely will be ready to join the Mets’ rotation during 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 is returning from bone-graft surgery on a rib that was performed in spring training.