In his spring stint with Boston, Jed Lowrie played 17 games and posted a .310 average with one homer and seven RBI.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — It wasn’t long after Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo was lying on the ground in agony — the result of a torn left quad muscle — that the club decided rookie Jed Lowrie would get the call-up from Pawtucket.

Lugo suffered the injury in the bottom of the ninth inning on Friday at Fenway Park, legging out an infield hit, and will be out of the lineup for four to six weeks. This will give Lowrie, a highly touted prospect in the organization, an extended stay in Boston to prove he can handle the game at this level.

“Lowrie’s one of our young guys who the organization likes,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “We haven’t seen him play as much as the rest of the organization, so this will be an opportunity for him to show what he can do. If he does [well], then good for us. Our organization has had a knack for having other players fill in, and this is another time.”

Lowrie was informed by PawSox manager Ron Johnson at 12:30 yesterday morning in Norfolk, Va., that he was getting the call to the big leagues. Lowrie arrived in Boston around 2 p.m. yesterday and when he got to Fenway Park he was told he was starting against the Orioles. The only thing he had to wait for was his equipment bag that got lost during his trip from Virginia to Boston.

“My role on this team is to come up and help when I can,” he said. “Lugo got hurt and I’m going to do what I can to help the team win. … I know what to expect and I know how the routines are done here. RJ [PawSox manager Ron Johnson] does a great job in Pawtucket, trying to keep it as similar as possible.”

Lowrie won’t be given the shortstop duties exclusively since he’ll platoon with veteran Alex Cora at the position. In fact, Cora will start today.

“We’ll mix and match and try to play them both,” said Francona. “Because of the days off coming up, there’s no need to get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Looking into the near future, it’s quite possible Lowrie could be the next full-time shortstop for the Red Sox. He possesses the defensive skills and the switch-hitter can also handle the bat, despite his .268 average for the PawSox this season.

Taken by Boston with a sandwich pick between the first and second round (45th overall) in the 2005 draft, Lowrie began the season with the Red Sox on their trip to Japan. When the club returned, he was sent to Pawtucket, but he didn’t stay there very long.

The 24-year-old was recalled in April when Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell injured his thumb. Lowrie played 17 games for the Red Sox and posted a .310 average with one homer and seven RBI during that stretch. He was optioned back to Pawtucket on May 11.

Francona has been reading the daily organizational reports and he’s talked with Johnson numerous times about Lowrie. Even though the statistics may not be there, the reports are positive.

“Sometimes when a guy gets called up, you can kind of throw that out of the door,” said Francona. “I know we love getting reports about guys who are as hot as can be. But, there’s going to be an adrenaline surge and, playing at this level, your concentration level is going to be as sharp as ever.”

Francona said he was impressed with Lowrie’s stint with the Sox in April, especially his awareness at the plate and in the field.

Johnson concurs.

“I can’t say enough good things about Jed Lowrie,” Johnson said recently. “He’s going to give you professional at-bats from both sides of the plate. He’s going to solidify the left side of the infield at shortstop. My biggest concern with Jed is that he relaxes and has no type of expectations.”

Lowrie is one of the more even-keeled prospects in the Red Sox organization. When he was walking around the clubhouse yesterday afternoon, it was like he had been here for 10 years.

jmcdonal@projo.com