Esks come from behind in Hamilton
HAMILTON Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly threw three touchdown passes as the Eskimos erased a 12-point deficit to remain undefeated with a 31-28 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday night.
Reilly hit Vidal Hazelton for a 15yard TD pass with 23 seconds left in the game to go ahead for good. Hazelton had also made a 30-yard catch earlier in the drive.
Hamilton had one final chance to march back down the field but Kenneth Ladler intercepted a Zach Collaros pass to seal the victory.
Edmonton (4-0) is first in the West Division and the only remaining undefeated team in the CFL.
Hamilton (0-4) is last in the East Division and the only remaining winless team. The last time Hamilton started the season 0-4 it was 2007 and Jason Maas was the Ticats’ quarterback.
Bryant Mitchell, Travon Van, and Cory Watson also scored touchdowns for Edmonton. Luke Tasker and Geoff Hughes scored for Hamilton.
Hamilton kicker Sergio Castillo was good on all four field-goal attempts, one from 18, two from 46 and one from 40 yards.
Edmonton kicker Sean Whyte hit a 40-yard field goal, but had a rough night with a missed convert and a blocked punt.
Reilly completed 27-of-37 pass attempts for 350 yards. Collaros completed 22-of-36 pass attempts for 249 yards, one touchdown pass and two interceptions.
Hamilton had a 25-13 lead to start the fourth. But Reilly finished off an 87-yard drive with a 34-yard TD pass to Watson, and it seemed the tide had turned. Whyte’s 40-yarder with 6:35 left made it 25-23.
Castillo hit a 37-yarder with 1:17 left in the game to make it 28-23. But that gave the Esks too much time for the game-winning drive.