EDMONTON — Terrell Sinkfield reeled in a pair of touchdown passes as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats won their fifth straight game, with a dominating 49-20 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos on Friday.
The Ticats (6-2) moved into sole possession of first place in the CFL’s East Division with the win.
The Eskimos (5-3) have lost two of their last three and saw a seven-game winning streak at home dating back to last season ended.
Edmonton had a rough start as quarterback Matt Nichols was picked off by Tiger-Cats defender Mike Daly on the opening drive and he took the ball back 51 yards. The interception led to a 22-yard touchdown pass from Zach Collaros to Sinkfield.
The Eskimos came right back with a 43-yard Grant Shaw field goal to make it 7-3.
Edmonton turned the ball over again late in the first half as Shakir Bell fumbled on his own 30, leading to another 10-yard TD pass to Sinkfield.
Hamilton got another gift when Eskimos receiver Devon Bailey fumbled a completed pass, quickly leading to a 62-yard passing play from Collaros to Sinkfield, followed by a two-yard touchdown run by Ray Holley and a 21-3 Tiger-Cats lead early into the second quarter.
A turnover finally went Edmonton’s way when Holley fumbled at his own 40, but all the Esks could muster was another field goal.
Hamilton took a 28-7 lead into the half after a four-yard TD run by Brandon Banks against a punt single for the Eskimos.
Backup quarterback James Franklin gave Edmonton a spark in for the second half, getting them their its major score of the game early in the third, a five-yard pass to Cory Watson.
Hamilton came right back, however, as a 40-yard pass to Luke Tasker set up a 12-yard scoring strike on a catch by Terence Toliver.
Another Tiger-Cats interception led to their fourth touchdown off a turnover in the game when Collaros went in from three yards out.
Edmonton responded with a nine-yard TD pass to Bailey to close out the third.
Franklin fumbled a handoff attempt on the goal line and Eric Norwood rumbled 106 yards the other way to help the Ticasts score the third longest fumble return touchdown in CFL history.
The Tiger-Cats return home to face Montreal next Thursday, while the Eskimos host the Toronto Argonauts next Friday.