Bo Levi Mitchell led the surging Hamilton Tiger-Cats to their second consecutive victory over the Ottawa Redblacks with a 30-15 win on Sunday.
Ottawa (1-6) dropped its fourth straight and continues to search for its first home win of the season.
Mitchell finished the game 21-for-33 for 327 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Ticats have won four CFL games in a row to improve to 4-2.
Dustin Crum, who was forced into action after a Dru Brown injury, was 16-for-22 for 149 yards and one interception for the hosts.
Hamilton took a 27-15 lead midway through the fourth quarter after Ante Milanovic-Litre scored on a one-yard run, following Jevoni Robinson being stopped just short of the goal line.
Marc Liegghio added his third field goal of the game — this one from 25 yards out — with just over one minute remaining.
Earlier, Ottawa cut the deficit to 20-15 with Lewis Ward’s fifth field goal of the night, a 27-yarder, after Adarius Pickett intercepted Mitchell and returned it to Hamilton’s 24. The turnover came just two plays after Crum was picked off late in the third.
With six minutes to play in the third Mitchell showed his veteran poise on second-and-18, finding Kiondre Smith for a 63-yard gain that set up first-and-goal at Ottawa’s three. On the next play, Treshaun Ward punched it in to give Hamilton a 20-12 lead.
Ward kicked four field goals from 21, 28, 33 and 45 yards to bring Ottawa within one, to trail 13-12 at halftime. His final kick came as time expired in the second quarter.
Liegghio added a 36-yard field goal late in the second quarter for Hamilton and opened the game with a 27-yarder, his 28th straight kick which is the longest active streak in the league.
Brown left the game early in the second quarter after taking a blindside hit from Dashaun Amos. He completed 6-of-8 passes for 66 yards and one interception before being replaced by Crum. Hamilton was penalized 25 yards for a major foul on the play, which Ottawa turned into a field goal.
Earlier in the first quarter, Brown was intercepted at Ottawa’s 46-yard line. Two plays later, Mitchell threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Lawler, giving him his league-leading eighth touchdown of the season.
Ottawa’s Jovan Santos-Knox and Anthony Gosselin each played their 100th career CFL game. The game was costly for both teams. Ottawa lost DL Cleyon Laing, while Hamilton OL Jordan Murray had to be carted off.
Tiger-Cats: Visit the B.C. Lions on Sunday, July 27.
Redblacks: Host the Calgary Stampeders on Thursday, July 31.
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