The baseball rolls slowly up the third baseline, but like a flash of lightning, Nolan Arenado bare-hands the ball and throws a strike to first base, nipping the runner by half a step.

The baseball sizzles toward left field, looking like a sure base hit, but Arenado is there to snag it, throw across his body and start a double play at second base.

Game after game, the Rockies’ 25-year-old slugging third baseman pulls off another web gem. The spectacular has become routine, but not to be taken for granted.

Tuesday night, Arenado won another Gold Glove, becoming the first third baseman in major-league history to win four consecutive Gold Gloves to begin his career. The only other third baseman to begin his career with three Gold Gloves in a row was the Red Sox’s Frank Malzone, who won from 1957-59.

“Yeah, it’s an amazing thing,” Arenado said. “I have worked really hard at my defense. This is something I take a lot of pride in that. I have to thank God that I have been able to stay healthy, for the most part. It’s a good feeling that your hard work pays off.” Related Articles November 8, 2016 Excited for Rockies after hiring of manager Bud Black

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Arenado was the only Rockies player to strike gold. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu was a finalist, but he lost out to Joe Panik of the San Francisco Giants. LeMahieu, who captured the National League batting crown this season with a .348 average, won a Gold Glove in 2014.

Slugging right fielder Carlos Gonzalez also was a finalist, hoping to win his fourth Gold Glove, but he was beaten out by the Chicago Cubs’ Jason Heyward. Gonzalez previously won in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Arenado’s expertise is illustrated not only by the jaw-dropping plays he makes at third base, but defensive metrics. According to Fangraphs, the runaway National League leader in defensive runs saved with 20. Last month, won his second consecutive Fielding Bible Award, which picks the top player at each position regardless of league. The awards, given by ACTA Sports, were decided by a 12-person panel of experts, who awarded the third baseman all but one first-place vote.

“I love playing defense,” Arenado said. “Hitting is just so hard sometimes. But I want to impact the game someway, somehow. So defense is something I take a lot of pride in.

“I will never forget what Tulo (Troy Tulowitzki) told me. He always said you have to take pride in your defense, because it can change games.”

Arenado tied for the NL lead with 41 home runs and led the majors with 133 RBIs, but he is not one of the three finalists for the NL MVP, which will be announced next week.

Colorado players have won 19 Gold Gloves. Outfielder Larry Walker has the most with five, followed by Arenado with four, while Gonzalez and first baseman Todd Helton are tied for third with three each.

Managers and coaches for each club voted for players in their league, but they could not vote for players on their team, to account for 75 percent of the selection process. The Society for American Baseball Research applies the SABR Defensive Index for the other 25 percent.