BOSTON (AP) -- David Ortiz hit his 50th homer this evening to match a Red Sox record, but Torii Hunter's three-run shot in the eighth inning sent the Minnesota Twins to an 8-2 victory over Boston that allowed the New York Yankees to clinch their ninth consecutive AL East title.

The Yankees have won the division every year since 1998, but Boston still has to fight off Toronto to hold onto their traditional spot as division runners-up; the Blue Jays trail Boston by one game after beating the Yankees 3-2. The Twins, who have won 10 of their last 12 games, moved into a first-place tie with Detroit for the AL Central lead pending the Tigers' game against the Chicago White Sox.

Boof Bonser (6-5) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, striking out five to win his third consecutive decision. Michael Cuddyer had three hits of Minnesota's 16 hits and scored two runs.

Ortiz tied Jimmie Foxx's 1938 franchise record with No. 50, a solo shot that gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead after six. But Cuddyer led off the eighth with a double, Justin Morneau walked and Hunter hit the first pitch he saw from Craig Hansen (2-2) over the Green Monster seats.

Rondell White doubled to chase Hansen, who faced four batters and did not record an out. Pinch-runner Lew Ford scored on a fielder's choice to make it 5-2 before the Twins finally ran themselves out of the inning with a groundout to first that started a 3-6-2-5-6 double play.

Red Sox starter Curt Schilling needed 104 pitches to get through five innings in his return after missing three starts with a strained side muscle. He allowed one run and seven hits while striking out three. He has not won in six starts since Aug 4.

Foxx's record seemed within easy range for Ortiz before he missed eight games with heart palpitations. He has only three homers and nine RBIs since returning on Sept. 8, but he laced Bonser's first pitch over the Boston bullpen and circled the bases to the strains of "Simply the Best" while his teammates applauded from the top of the dugout.

Fans continued to cheer until he came back out of the dugout to tip his cap.

It was Ortiz's 43rd homer as a DH this year, tying the record he set last year.

Morneau, who went 5-for-5 on Tuesday, was 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the ninth that made it 6-2. Hunter followed with an RBI groundout, and Ford's RBI single made it 8-2.

Notes: Ortiz has homered against every team Boston has played this year. ... Hunter was back in the lineup after fouling a ball off his left leg on Tuesday night. ... Morneau needs one RBI to tie Harmon Killebrew (1962) for second on the team's single season list with 126. Killebrew also owns the club record with 140 in 1961. ... Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis was out of the lineup because of neck spasms. He left Tuesday night's game with a neck strain. He is expected to miss "a couple of games," manager Terry Francona said. ... OF Manny Ramirez is having an MRI to see if there is a stress fracture in his right knee. He has missed the last nine games.