Arizona 3B Alberto Callaspo fell victim to a hidden-ball trick in the third. After beating a throw to second base, Callaspo stood to dust himself off, pulling his left hand off the bag. Lugo, standing behind him with the ball in his glove, made the tag. “Lugo just kind of slipped behind him,” Beckett said. “I was actually back there trying to get him to throw me the ball. I’m glad he didn’t throw me the ball.”

Mike Lowell, the best active player at the trick, said it shouldn’t count:

“That’s not a real hidden-ball trick,” Lowell said yesterday , “although I’m sure the stats say it is.”

And that’s an interesting distinction. If someone slides through second while the fielder keeps the tag on for the out, that wouldn’t be considered a hidden ball trick. The hidden ball trick’s usually defined as happening when the play is well over and requiring some amount of deception, but does time or manner matter? Lugo waited, took advantage of the runner not paying attention, and got the out. It may not have been quite as sweet as some of Lowell’s plays, but it works.