Backup quarterback Chris Streveler rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers held onto sole possession of first in the CFL West with a 34-28 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos on a rainy Friday night.
It was the third win in a row for Winnipeg, which improved to a league-best 8-2.
Edmonton (6-4) was looking for its third straight victory and seventh of the season to keep pace with the Bombers, who are now four points up on second-place Edmonton while sweeping the two-game season series.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-2) sit atop the East.
It was a game that at one point looked like it would be decided by the kickers.
The Eskimos started the scoring with a 20-yard Sean Whyte field goal on the game’s opening possession, with Winnipeg quickly responding with a 27-yarder from Justin Medlock.
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The Blue Bombers took the lead late in the first quarter when Marcus Rios picked off a deflected Trevor Harris pass and took it 46 yards into the end zone.
LISTEN BELOW: Eskimos vs Blue Bombers highlights
Edmonton came back with a 37-yard Whyte field goal.
Winnipeg made it 17-6 on a two-yard touchdown run by Andrew Harris on the heels of a long run by Streveler, who got the start in place of injured Matt Nichols.
Whyte notched a 24-yarder before Medlock closed out the first half scoring with a 51-yard field goal.
The Eskimos started the third quarter with Whyte’s fourth field goal of the game, a 29-yarder, before Medlock responded with a 37-yarder.
Whyte added yet another 29-yard field goal to start the fourth and then a 21-yarder midway through the final frame to make it 23-18.
Winnipeg got some insurance with just over two minutes remaining as Streveler called his own number for a six-yard TD run.
Edmonton got its first touchdown in two games this season against Winnipeg with just over a minute left to play on a 75-yard TD pass from Harris to Tevaun Smith. The Eskimos had settled for 13 field goals leading up to the Smith TD.
The Esks then attempted an on-side kick but were unsuccessful, leading to a 50-yard Medlock field goal.
Whyte then booted his seventh field goal of the night _ a 48-yarder as time expired.
LISTEN BELOW: Eskimos’ head coach Jason Maas following the Friday night loss to the Blue Bombers
Notes: It was the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams, with the Bombers winning the first contest 28-21 on June 27 in Winnipeg? Blue Bombers starting quarterback Nichols is on the six-game injured list with a shoulder injury. Streveler made his fifth career CFL start and third against the Eskimos, previously holding a 1-3 record as a starter.