Hunters blast upstages Ortizs 50th

With his team trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning, Torii Hunter launched a three-run homer to propel the Twins past the Red Sox.

By Joe Christensen, Star Tribune

Last update: September 21, 2006 - 12:11 AM

BOSTON - In a few short days, the Twins could clinch another playoff berth, and this is beginning to look like the sort of unshakable group that can do some real damage in October.

Wednesday night offered more proof, as the Twins withstood David Ortiz's 50th home run, waited through his curtain call, and then stuffed the game right down Boston's throat.

Another sellout crowd at Fenway Park watched Torii Hunter smash a three-run, eighth-inning homer over the Green Monster and onto Landsdowne Street. That gave the Twins the lead, and they kept piling on for an 8-2 victory.

"I'm addicted to the playoffs," said Hunter, who is looking to return there for the fourth time in five years. "I'm tired of getting there and losing. I want to get to the World Series and win."

When Detroit beat Chicago 6-2 Wednesday, it lowered the Twins' magic number to reach the playoffs to six. Any combination of White Sox losses and Twins victories totaling six will assure Minnesota of at least the wild card.

But at 90-61, the Twins sit a half-game behind first-place Detroit in the American League Central, knowing a division title would probably mean a first-round matchup with the Oakland Athletics rather than the New York Yankees.

With Johan Santana, who pitches today's series finale, the Twins realize they have a chance in every game he pitches. But much of their playoff success would hinge on how the pitchers behind him handle the pressure.

Rookie Boof Bonser (6-5) certainly looked up to the task Wednesday, holding the Red Sox to two runs on seven hits in seven innings.

With Curt Schilling starting for the Red Sox, Bonser kept the score tied 1-1 until Ortiz hit his historic homer, which came against his former team with two outs in the sixth inning.

Ortiz matched Boston's single-season franchise record, set by Jimmie Foxx in 1938, and Bonser had to wait impatiently on the mound until Big Papi finally stopped hugging his teammates long enough for the curtain call.

"Bonser really didn't make too many mistakes," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The pitch to Ortiz, I don't know if that's a mistake or not. He's just a great hitter. I think Boof wanted to really please the crowd here tonight, so he wanted to let him hit No. 150 or 2,050 -- however many it is for David."

Trailing 2-1, the Twins got a double from Michael Cuddyer to start the eighth inning, and he advanced to third on a wild pitch. With an open base, Red Sox reliever Craig Hansen walked Justin Morneau.

Hunter made Hansen pay, drilling the next pitch for his 28th home run of the season, with 13 of those coming since Aug. 18.

The Twins weren't done there. After scoring four runs in the eighth, they added three more in the ninth.

Cuddyer finished 3-for-4, pacing the Twins' 16-hit attack.

"A lot of guys got into the act," Gardenhire said. "And our bullpen came in and did a good job."

Joe Christensen • jchristensen@startribune.com