RED SOX NOTEBOOK: Betts making push for batting title

Bill Mueller was the last Sox player to win the AL batting crown. That happened in 2003 with Manny Ramirez second. That was 14 years ago, the team’s longest drought since those first 32 years. It may be on its way to ending as Mookie Betts continues on his way to producing one of the best offensive seasons in team history.

BOSTON — It took the Red Sox 32 years to produce an American League batting champion, Dale Alexander finally taking one with a .372 average in 1932.

 After that, Boston batters were batting champs all the time but that has changed.

 Bill Mueller was the last Sox player to win the AL batting crown. That happened in 2003 with Manny Ramirez second. That was 14 years ago, the team’s longest drought since those first 32 years. It may be on its way to ending as Mookie Betts continues on his way to producing one of the best offensive seasons in team history.

 Betts was 3 for 4 Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 12 games in the Red Sox' 6-2 win over Toronto. He is 24-for-50 (.480) during the streak and has raised his average from .339 to .362.

 Betts will be the first Boston batter to be above .350 at the All-Star break since 2011 when Adrian Gonzalez was hitting .354.

 The break that year began on July 11. Gonzalez finished the season batting .338, second to Miguel Cabrera for the championship.

 The last Boston batter to hit better than .350 for a season was Nomar Garciaparra in 2000 who hit .372. His average at the All-Star break that year was .389.

Double trouble: In the past 21 years the Red Sox have grounded into more double plays than the opposition 19 times and are on their way to making it 20 of 22 in 2018. They grounded into one on Saturday, the Blue Jays none.

 Boston has hit into 77 and turned 53 this year and in the last 11 games the difference is 17-2. The two times they were out-doubleplayed were 2012 and 2006 and they missed the playoffs in both of those seasons. Beginning with 1998, Boston batters have grounded into 2,723 double plays and opposing hitters have grounded into 2,321.

Johnson gets call: Boston plays its final game before the All-Star break at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and Brian Johnson will be sprung from the disabled list to make the start. The Blue Jays will counter with Marcus Stroman.

 Johnson’s overall record is 1-2, his earned run average 4.23. As a starting pitcher the lefty is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA and the Red Sox have won all three of his starts. In fact, Boston has won eight of his nine career starts.

 Stroman is 2-6, 5.90. This will be his fifth start since a stint on the disabled list and he had his best one of the the year the last time he pitched. Stroman allowed just a run in seven innings in Toronto’s 6-2 victory over Atlanta on July 10.

 Stroman is 4-2 with a 4.19 ERA in 10 career starts versus Boston. That includes a 1-1, 3.26 mark in three starts at Fenway Park.

 Tough day: Steve Pearce was not in the starting lineup as he recuperates from a bruised shin and Mitch Moreland was not available at all, although Alex Cora would not say why. They should be available on Sunday.

 Blake Swihart was at first on Saturday and had a hit, but blundered on the basepaths. He ran into a double play in the seventh when he lost the ball on Sandy Leon’s fly to left.

 “He didn’t know where the ball was,” Cora said. “We’ve got to be better there.”

Kelly's no hero: Joe Kelly was terrible again in relief and blew the save, making him 2-for-10 in those situations in a Boston uniform. Although the blown save stat is misleading for middle relievers in general, it suits Kelly fine. He does not pitch well in tight games.

 Kelly’s ERA was 1.73 at the end of May. Since then he has been charged with 14 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings and his earned run average has jumped to 4.31.

 Diamond dust: The Red Sox swapped relievers, sending Robby Scott back to Pawtucket and bringing Bobby Poyner up. … Jackie Bradley Jr. batted fifth. It was the first time he’d been a middle-of-the order hitter since last Aug. 1, when also hit in the No. 5 spot. Bradley had a key hit and is 7-for-21 (.333) in his last six games. … Tzu-Wei Lin’s single to right in the fifth snapped an 0-for-26 drought for him at the major league level. … Betts has scored a run in nine straight games. … Leon was the only Boston starter without a hit.