BOSTON (Reuters) - American League batting leader Adrian Gonzalez left Boston's game against Toronto in the seventh inning on Wednesday due to tightness in his left calf.

Gonzalez hit his 26th home run of the season in the sixth inning of Boston's 5-4 loss to Toronto and felt the injury as he went around the bases. The Red Sox removed him in the next inning.

Gonzalez leads the league with his .340 average and Boston hope he will be available for the start of their critical series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

"I hope so, yeah," Gonzalez told the team's website (boston.redsox.mlb.com). "The calf tightened up on me pretty good. Hopefully I come in tomorrow feeling good."

The Red Sox (86-62) hold a four-games advantage over the Rays in the AL Wild Card race. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)