BOSTON - In a span of two batters last night, Mike Lowell showed quick, soft hands and then outstanding reflexes, two qualities that have helped him become a Gold Glove third baseman.

With two outs in the second, Chris Young hit a hopper to Lowell’s left that caught him in-between hops. Lowell calmly played the ball on the side and used his soft hands to glove the ball almost as it was past him. He threw out Young.

Leading off the third, Chris Snyder scalded a liner inside the third-base bag, a shot that seemed destined to be a double.

Lowell, though, reacted quickly to the ball, diving to his right and somehow snatching the ball on the backhand, robbing Snyder of an extra-base hit.