Global Courant
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HAMILTON – Cody Fajardo rushed for a score and connected with receiver Austin Mack for two more touchdowns to help the Montreal Alouettes to a 38-12 victory against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday.
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Fajardo, 31, signed a two-year freelance contract with Montreal in the off-season and now has a perfect start for the Alouettes (2-0).
Meanwhile, the Ticats (0-3) dropped their home opener in front of 23,180 at Tim Hortons Field and began to hear the boo birds late in the third quarter.
Fajardo completed 19 of 25 for 292 yards and no turnovers. Mack caught five passes for 81 yards, while Kaion Julien-Grant accounted for six catches and 94 yards.
Julien’s 43-yard reception set up Mack’s second touchdown—a five-yard catch—at 11:11 in the third quarter.
Marc Lieggio made a 44-yard field goal for his fourth of the game to bring the Ticats within 21–12 earlier in the third quarter.
Hamilton quarterback Matt Shiltz completed 25 of 48 for 345 yards and two interceptions. The second interception resulted in a 71-yard touchdown return from Montreal defenseman Wesley Sutton in heavy rain with 6:58 left.
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Shiltz connected with slot back Tim White on passes for 61 and 54 yards on the first two drives. But Hamilton settled for 13-yard and 39-yard field goals from Marc Lieggio on every occasion.
A 15-yard field goal from Montreal’s David Cote completed the scoring with 2:10 remaining.
Chandler Worthy ignited the Alouettes’ offense with a 77-yard punt return, resulting in a 7–6 lead to close out the first quarter.
Fajardo increased Montreal’s advantage to 14–6 with a 48-yard strike to Austin Mack at 7:26 in the second quarter. It was Farjardo’s first touchdown pass of the season.
Fajardo made it 21–6 with a four-yard sprinter, a touchdown set up by an interception from Montreal defensive back Ciante Evans.
The Ticats rallied for a 32-yard field goal from Liegghio in the last minute of the first half.
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MITCHELL UPDATE
The Ticats moved injured quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell (groin) to the list of six injured on Friday.
He departed in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field last Sunday after completing 16 of his 24 pass attempts for 161 yards and two interceptions.
Hamilton signed 24-year-old Florida Atlantic product N’Kosi Perry with Mitchell out for long term.
NEXT ONE
On July 1, the Alouettes will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-1) at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. The Ticats have a bye week and return to action when the Ottawa Redblacks (0-2) visit on Saturday, July 8.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 23, 2023.
