(Hamilton) Brandon Banks scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to give the Toronto Argonauts a 28-8 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Posted at 5:00 p.m.
Banks, in his first season in Toronto after eight at Hamilton, capped a knockdown play early in the fourth quarter to silence the 25,266 fans gathered at Tim Hortons Field, a new all-time high at the home of the Tiger-Cats (3-9) .
The touchdown came after linebacker Henoc Muamba stopped quarterback Jalen Morton on a third down at the Ti-Cats 27 line.
Argos starting quarterback (6-5) McLeod Bethel-Thompson then joined Banks on a 27-yard play midway through the quarter, to give the visitors a 25-8 lead, a play made immediately after the second interception Jamal Peters game.
Peters had five interceptions in the last two games between the Argos and the Tiger-Cats.
It’s the first time since 2012 that the Argonauts got the better of the Tiger-Cats over Labor Day weekend. The Ti-Cats lost for the first time at Tim Hortons Field (7-1) on such an occasion.
The Argonauts also won their annual series against the Tiger-Cats 3-1.
This victory allows the Torontonians to forge a four-point lead over the Montreal Alouettes (4-7) in first place in the East. The Ottawa Redblacks (3-8) are ranked third.
The Argos took advantage of the Ti-Cats’ ineffective offense. With veteran Dane Evans injured, rookie Jamie Newman made his first CFL start. The results were predictable: 14 for 25 for 172 yards and an interception. He left in the third quarter to return in the fourth.
Morton completed two of his six passes for 13 yards and an interception.
Bethel-McLeod meanwhile finished with 22 completions on 34 attempts for 298 yards, two touchdowns and as many interceptions.