▁scored ▁a ▁run . ▁ ▁Im medi ately ▁following ▁the ▁All - Star ▁break , ▁Walker ▁collected ▁six ▁hits ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁ 3 2 ▁at ▁b ats ▁(. 1 8 8 ), ▁bringing ▁his ▁average ▁to ▁. 3 1 4 , ▁its ▁lowest ▁since ▁April ▁ 5 . ▁During ▁a ▁seven - game ▁hom est and ▁sp anning ▁July ▁ 2 3 − 2 8 , ▁he ▁produced ▁ 1 5 ▁hits ▁in ▁ 2 7 ▁at ▁b ats ▁(. 5 5 6 ) ▁with ▁three ▁doubles , ▁two ▁tri ples , ▁four ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁nine ▁R BI , ▁raising ▁his ▁average ▁from ▁. 3 1 9 ▁to ▁. 3 4 0 . ▁He ▁sur ged ▁from ▁t enth ▁to ▁second ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁batt ing ▁crown . ▁From ▁August ▁ 1 9 ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁he ▁hit ▁. 4 4 0 ▁( 7 8 - for - 1 7 7 ). ▁He ▁end ured ▁back ▁sp as ms ▁toward ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁starting ▁in ▁nine ▁of ▁the ▁team ' s ▁final ▁ 1 7 ▁games . ▁ ▁Walker ▁produced ▁a ▁. 4 0 2 ▁second - half ▁batt ing ▁average . ▁After ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁never ▁reached ▁ 5 0 0 ▁at ▁b ats ▁again ▁as ▁various ▁inj uries ▁cut ▁short ▁each ▁season . ▁With ▁a ▁. 3 6 3 ▁batt ing ▁average , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Canadian - born ▁player ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁major ▁league ▁batt ing