Julio Lugo of the Sox slides safely home in the third inning as Toronto catcher Gregg Zaun fails to control the ball.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — Last night was a perfect example of how the season is off to a surprising start for Mike Lowell.

At the plate, Lowell is doing well, perhaps better than expected. In the field, though, the Red Sox’ third baseman has not played up to expectations. An excellent fielder throughout his career, he has struggled so far.

The pattern continued in last night’s 10-3 loss to Toronto.

Lowell ripped a home run into the top row of the Monster seats in the fourth, pulling the Sox to within 4-3 at that point. The blast extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He is 15-for-38 in that time to lift his average to .324 this season. Lowell was 8-for-18 on the homestand with three home runs, six runs and six RBI.

All this from a guy who was thought to be slowing down with the bat. He was traded to Boston in the big deal with Florida after the 2005 season in part because the Marlins wanted to dump his contract. At age 32, he had hit only .236 with eight home runs in 500 at-bats.

He responded by hitting .284 with 47 doubles, 20 home runs and 80 RBI. It was satisfying.

“It’s very gratifying,” said Lowell in January when he was in Boston to receive the Jackie Jensen Award for spirit and determination. “All the experts said my career was on a downhill spiral, and each year was going to get progressively worse. I was only 32. It sounded like I was 52.”

“I was happy that the Red Sox gave me the opportunity not only to come over here but to play every day,” said Lowell, who overcame a bout with cancer early in his career. “I’m glad I was able to prove that I could play every day and have a solid year. I don’t see any reason that it should stop. It was very gratifying. No one really asked me how I felt during the year. They were telling me how I felt and what was going to happen to my career. I just kind of got a kick out of that.”

The same thing happened last winter. But Lowell is confounding the experts once again with an excellent start at the plate.

“I’m seeing the ball well. I’m being very direct to the ball and when I’m getting my pitch I’m putting a good swing on it,” he said. “It comes in bunches. I can’t really say I have a different approach than I had in spring training. I couldn’t buy it in spring training. It’s just the flow of the season is much different. You get to get into a rhythm.”

The problem has been with his glove.

Lowell already has made six errors, equaling his total of all last season. He was not charged with any errors last night, but his inability to make tough plays — the kind he made often last season — cost the Sox dearly.

In the third, Vernon Wells hit a hard shot near the line at third. There were runners on first and second at the time. Had Lowell come up with the play, there was a good chance for a double play. But the ball went off his glove and all three runners were safe. Toronto ended up scoring three runs in the inning, helped by an error by first baseman Eric Hinske.

An almost identical replay took place in the fifth. With a runner on first, Wells again hit a hard shot near the line. Again, Lowell got his glove on it. Again it was scored a base hit, probably correctly. It was a very difficult play.

Few third basemen would be expected to make it. But Lowell, with his outstanding glove, would be one of those who could. But he did not.

“They were both in between hops,” Lowell said. “You’re going to get those at third base. I just feel I’ve gotten more this year than I had all of last year combined. It’s unbelievable. I start thinking whether I’m positioned in the right spot.

“They’re hard-hit balls. You’ve got one chance at it. That’s the tough thing about third base. You make that break and it’s do or die,” he said. He knows he is positioned properly.

“I’ve done it for 12 years,” he said. “It’s just that Julian (Tavares, the starting pitcher) is a guy who has a good sinker. A lot of guys are going to be on top of the ball. But it’s not like I can play in left field. I’ve got to play the spot. He can run well.”

The Jays ended up scoring twice in the fifth after Lowell could not handle Wells’ shot, increasing the lead to 6-3. They scored four runs in the next inning, with poor Boston fielding playing a major role. The key was a dropped liner in center by Wily Mo Pena. It led to four unearned runs and Toronto was on its way to an easy victory.

pkenyon@projo.com