Montreal Alouettes S.J. Green (19) celebrates his touchdown against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats during second half CFL action in Montreal, July 16, 2015.CHRISTINNE MUSCHI/Reuters
Rookie quarterback Rakeem Cato found S.J. Green with a touchdown pass and the Montreal Alouettes downed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 17-13 in a defensive CFL struggle on Thursday night.
Boris Bede had three field goals and a single for Montreal (2-2), which has not lost at home to the Tiger-Cats in 18 games since Oct. 20, 2002.
Ray Holley scored his first career touchdown and Jason Medlock had a pair of field goals for Hamilton (1-2).
Ticats quarterback Zach Collaros threw three interceptions, including one to defensive lineman Alan-Michael Cash with 1:47 left to play. On a final drive, Hamilton's Terrence Toliver fumbled and Gabriel Knapton recovered.
Montreal also contained Hamilton's star kick returner Brandon Banks, who had runback TDs in each of the first two games.
The Ticats led 10-7 during a flag-filled first half in which neither team moved the ball consistently. Montreal had minus-5 yards rushing for the half.
The Alouettes got a punt single 1:56 in and added Bede's 21-yard field goal at 10:45 after Chip Cox picked off a Collaros pass.
The Tiger-Cats answered that with a 12-play 75-yard drive capped by Holley's three-yard TD reception 3:47 into the second quarter.
A Jonathan Hefney interception gave Montreal a glittering chance, but the Hamilton defence stopped them on three plays from the one for a turnover on downs.
The Ticats couldn't switch the momentum and Montreal marched back for a 42-yard Bebe boot, but Medlock topped that with a 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left in the half.
Banks ran the opening kickoff of the second half back 110 yards for a touchdown only to see it called back for an illegal block.
Then Cato mounted a nine-play 87-yard drive leading to a TD throw on the run 20 yards to Green to put Montreal in the lead 14-10. Bede added a 27-yard boot 9:48 into the fourth quarter.
The Alouettes wore their grey, feather-themed alternate jerseys before a crowd of 20,772. They are 22-9 all-time in "third" jerseys, including 9-0 against Hamilton.
The Alouettes have a bye next week, while the Ticats have a 10-day break before their next game July 26 at Saskatchewan.