Like a broken record, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats managed to blow another second=half lead. They lost 34-20 against the Toronto Argonauts Saturday night.
The Ticats stumbled to 3-6 on the CFL season after seeing their arch-rivals rally from a 17-6 deficit in the third quarter.
The victory pushes the Argonauts to an East Division leading record of 4-3.
Toronto took their first lead of the game about three minutes into the fourth quarter. Trevor Hoyte blocked a punt by Hamilton’s Michael Domagala and Benoit Marion scooped up the bouncing ball at the Ticats’ 24 yard line and ran for a touchdown.
The Tiger-Cats roared out to a 13-0 lead thanks to a nine-yard touchdown pass by Dane Evans to Don Jackson as well as two field goals by rookie kicker Seth Small.
Evans went 28-for-42 for 302 yards while Jackson carried the ball 10 times for 47 yards and made eight receptions for 67 yards and a TD.
But Toronto outscored Hamilton 28-6 in the third and fourth quarters, a recurring pattern for the Cats who have been outpointed 145-58 in the second half this season.
Argos QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson completed 17 of his 27 attempts for 230 yards and tossed a 13-yard touchdown to Cameron Phillips that cut Hamilton’s lead to 17-14 midway through the third quarter.
Small connected on all four of his field goal attempts, from 17, 22, 28 and 28 yards.
Toronto kicker Boris Bede made three of his four attempts, converting from 18, 30 and 44 but missed another 44-yard kick.
The Tiger-Cats and Argonauts will meet again on Friday, Aug. 12 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.