SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 12, 2014
Argonauts 38, Blue Bombers 21: Ricky Ray threw four touchdown passes as host Toronto strengthened its lead atop the CFL's East Division.
Ray's best showing of the season helped Toronto (3-4) earn its second straight win and move four points clear of the other three East teams. Ray finished 26-of-33 for 297 yards while running back Curtis Steele racked up 119 total yards and a pair of scores.
Drew Willy went 23-for-31 but compiled just 193 yards for the Blue Bombers (5-3), who suffered their first loss of the season. Nic Grigsby led the ground attack with 66 yards and a score while Rory Kohlert and Cory Watson added receiving touchdowns in defeat.
Trailing 7-0, Toronto evened the score on Steele's 19-yard touchdown run just over three minutes into the second quarter. The Argonauts tied things up a second time on Ray's 15-yard scoring strike to Maurice Mann after Kohlert's 21-yard TD reception had put Winnipeg ahead less than three minutes earlier, and Toronto went ahead after Ray found Zander Robinson on a 6-yard scoring pass with three seconds remaining in the half.
Steve Slaton's fumble led to Grigsby's game-tying 8-yard TD run just under seven minutes into the third quarter, but Ray countered with this third score of the night - a 15-yard pass to Steele - to put the Argonauts back in front in the opening minute of the fourth. Ray put the game away with just over three minutes remaining, connecting with Spencer Watt on a 33-yard scoring pass.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Blue Bombers needed just over six minutes to open the scoring as a Grigsby 37-yard rush set up Willy's 9-yard end zone fade that Watson wrested from Argonauts defender Jamie Robinson. ... Ray, who was 17-of-19 for 177 yards in the first half, has thrown touchdown passes to 10 different receivers this season. ... Toronto (plus-4) is the only East team with a positive scoring differential; the rest of the division is a combined minus-183.