AL EAST Boston bats bludgeon tumbling Toronto, 7-1

The Red Sox swept the Blue Jays, who have lost 10 of 12.
TORONTO (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox left no doubt that they're the best hitting team in the majors.
David Ortiz and Kevin Millar hit consecutive home runs Thursday as the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 7-1 victory.
"This is a big sweep. This team swept us the last time we were here," Millar said. "They played great in June, but they're not swinging the bats like they were before."
Ramiro Mendoza won his second straight start and Bill Mueller went 4-for-4 for the Red Sox, the major league leader in batting average, runs, hits, slugging percentage and on-base percentage.
The Blue Jays led the majors in those categories last month, but they've lost 10 of 12, including the first three of 12 straight games against the Red Sox and the New York Yankees -- the two teams ahead of them in the AL East.
Struggling
The Blue Jays are eight games behind first-place New York and six behind Boston.
"We're in a bit of a slump. We've gone away from our approach," Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said. "We might be mentally exhausted. We played so well for so long. Maybe it took its toll."
Toronto starter Cory Lidle (10-8) lost his fourth straight start, giving up seven runs on nine hits and four walks in five-plus innings. He has a 5.96 ERA.
"I'm concerned," Tosca said. "He's throwing a lot of pitches per at-bat."
Vernon Wells hit his 22nd homer for the Blue Jays.
Staked to a 5-1 lead in the fourth, Mendoza (3-3) allowed one run on five hits in five innings.
The right-hander, who struck out four and walked one, beat the Yankees in his first start of the season Saturday.
Brandon Lyon, Mike Timlin and Chad Fox combined for four scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Boston's bullpen has pitched 131/3 scoreless innings in the last four games.
"We've all settled down to our roles and everybody is pitching lights out," Fox said.
Wells homered in the first, but Mueller tied it with an RBI triple in the second.
Millar and Mueller hit consecutive RBI singles in the fourth before Gabe Kapler hit a two-run double, giving Boston a 5-1 lead.
Ortiz led off the sixth with his 10th home run and Millar followed with his 14th, the seventh time the Red Sox have hit back-to-back homers this season.
Mueller tied his career high for hits, done five times previously.