PHOENIX — Edwin Diaz got called for the four-out save Wednesday and sent the Mets into the desert night for a mauling by coyotes.
In a throwback to his bad old days — see May, when his season derailed — Diaz walked the first two batters he faced before surrendering a go-ahead grand slam to Corbin Carroll.
The blast sunk the Mets in an 8-5 loss to the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
It was a second straight ugly performance from Diaz, who allowed a walk-off homer in the ninth inning to Padres phenom Jackson Merrill on Sunday.
This latest gut punch dropped the Mets four games behind Atlanta in the race for the NL’s third wild card.
“It was a tough loss today,” Diaz said. “We had it. We have got to keep playing baseball and at the end of the season we’ll see where we are.”
Dedniel Nunez, who returned from the injured list last weekend, was unavailable because of tightness in his right forearm, according to Carlos Mendoza, leaving Phil Maton as the option to begin the eighth.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. walked leading off the inning against Maton to begin the go-ahead rally.
Maton rebounded to get the next two outs before Mendoza signaled for Diaz, who walked Pavin Smith and Geraldo Perdomo before Carroll smashed a slider over the right-field fence for his second homer of the game.
“Our bullpen did a great job,” Diaz said. “I have just got to get into the game and get the job done. I didn’t get my job done today.”
Mendoza said he isn’t concerned about his closer.
“The past two outings he’s gotten hurt with [the slider],” Mendoza said. “Maybe he’s a little short … but the past two outings to give up a huge hit in that spot. He will make some adjustments and be ready to go.”
Luis Severino was removed after 4 ²/₃ innings in which he allowed four earned runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts and one walk.
The right-hander took a comebacker off his right foot in the third that contributed to his underwhelming performance.
Severino underwent X-rays that were negative and said he plans to make his next start, but he will be sore for a few days.
“There was a little pain out there, but the more I pushed on it, it was a little bit tougher to push it,” Severino said.
On this night the Mets fell into a 4-0 hole after four innings before rallying to tie the game in the fifth.
In the sixth, Starling Marte’s legwork was the difference in the Mets scoring the go-ahead run.
Marte bunted for a single and stole second before taking third on Brandon Nimmo’s ground out.
Most notable was his sprint to the plate on Pete Alonso’s fly to medium left field.
Gurriel’s throw home beat Marte, whose headfirst dive was ahead of catcher Adrian Del Castillo’s tag.
It was a strong showing from a player who missed two months with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Luis Guillorme, playing against his former team in a third different uniform this season, worked his at-bat to nine pitches in the second inning before poking an RBI single that put the Mets in a 1-0 hole.
Guillorme began the season with the Braves before moving to the Angels and D’backs.
Gurriel walked to begin the rally and Adrian Del Castillo singled before Guillorme, who started at second base with MVP candidate Ketel Marte on the injured list, delivered with two outs.
Severino got drilled on the left ankle by Jake McCarthy’s comebacker in the third and walked gingerly around the mound during a visit from Mendoza and the trainer.
Severino remained in the game.
After McCarthy stole second, reaching third on Francisco Alvarez’s errant throw, Joc Pederson smashed a two-run homer to right field that extended the D’back lead to 3-0.
In the fourth, Carroll launched a solo homer to center against Severino that put the Mets in a four-run hole.
But the Mets bats awoke in the fifth against left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
The big hit was Harrison Bader’s two-run homer that tied it 4-4 after the Mets had scraped for two runs.
Nimmo walked leading off the inning (the first Mets base runner of the night) and J.D. Martinez’s rocket to right-center went for an RBI double.
Behind 0-2 in the count with two outs, Alvarez slapped an RBI single before Bader unloaded for his 10th homer of the season and second in four games.
Gurriel smashed a two-out double in the fifth, ending Severino’s night. Huascar Brazoban entered to retire Del Castillo.
After Marte bunted for a single leading off the inning, he stole second and advanced on Nimmo’s ground out. Alonso hit a line drive to left and Marte tagged up. The throw home beat him, but Marte eluded Del Castillo’s tag with a headfirst dive.
“It’s a tough one,” Severino said. “Corbin Carroll has been really hot the last couple of months, so he got us tonight.”
