TORONTO - The third one was the most difficult for Zach Collaros and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Collaros threw two TD passes as Hamilton earned a hard-fought 35-27 decision over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night to sweep the season series for the first time since 2010. It was the tightest margin of victory this season for the Ticats.

"We had to battle for it," said Collaros. "We really haven't won a tight one since Saskatchewan (a 31-21 win over the Roughriders on July 26)."

Hamilton (8-3) won all three meetings with Toronto, including a 42-12 decision Monday at Tim Hortons Field. The Ticats took the opener 34-18 at Rogers Centre in August.

"They came ready to play, they played really hard," said Kent Austin, Hamilton's head coach/GM. "We knew they'd be ready and it was going to be a fight.

"I give them a lot of credit, we had to play 60 minutes to try to beat these guys."

Austin might have some explaining to do with the CFL head office. Television replays showed Austin walking along the sidelines in the third quarter and lowering his shoulder into the back of Argos receiver Dave Stala. As Stala, a former Ticat, jogged back to Toronto's bench, he turned around and saw Austin and appeared to say something to him. Austin reacted by waving Stala back to his bench.

Afterwards, Austin downplayed the incident.

"Me putting my shoulder into Dave? When was that? I don't know," Austin said. "I'm going up and down the sidelines, my head is in the game, I'm emotional.

"You'd have to show me the play. Dave was on our football team, I love Dave."

Stala was unavailable for comment following the contest.

Stala had to replace Toronto kicker/punter Swayze Waters (groin) in the second half. Waters missed six games with a knee injury earlier this year and did tackle Hamilton's Brandon Banks on a punt return earlier in the contest.

Stala had a punt partially blocked in the fourth quarter by David Caldwell that Adrian Tracy returned 19 yards to the Toronto 23-yard line. But Hamilton could only manage Medlock's 41-yard field goal at 4:18 to increase its lead to 32-20.

Toronto (6-5) suffered its first home loss in six games and third straight defeat overall to fall four points behind front-running Hamilton in the East Division. But after being decidedly outplayed in the first two meetings, a more tenacious Argos squad took to the field Friday night.

"Hamilton had to earn what they got," said Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich. "The last two weeks (Toronto lost 38-15 in Edmonton on Aug. 28) have been too easy.

"That's the thing I was proud of, the guys fought hard and had a chance to win. We proved something to ourselves."

After rolling up over 500 nets yards Monday, Hamilton had 360 on Friday night, including 96 yards rushing. Collaros finished with 400 yards passing and four TDs in the 30-point victory but was held to 254 yards and the two touchdowns Friday.`

"They were dropping eight, nine guys 20 yards deep," Collaros said. "We're going to take what the defence gives us and tonight they didn't want to get torched with the long ball."

Brandon Whitaker's one-yard TD run — his second touchdown of the game — at 9:40 of the fourth cut Toronto's deficit to 32-27. But Collaros marched Hamilton 58 yards on 11 plays to set up Justin Medlock's 17-yard field goal at 13:48.

Trevor Harris took Toronto to the Hamilton 24-yard line but was intercepted by Emanuel Davis in the endzone on the game's final play. Harris finished 20-of-35 passing for 257 yards with two TDs but also two interceptions.

"I played an abysmal first half, I let my team down," an emotional Harris said. "In the second half I thought we moved the ball well, we were effective.

"Just not effective enough."

Toronto's Tori Gurley had seven catches for a game-high 107 yards and a touchdown.

Jeff Matthews' one-yard TD run just 1:36 into the fourth quarter to put Hamilton ahead 29-20 after Harris's 10-yard TD strike to Anthony Coombs at 13:02 of the third pulled Toronto to within 22-20.

Harris hit Gurley on a 42-yard touchdown pass at 3:58 of the third to cut its deficit to 19-13. The Argos converted on third-and-eight and second-and-20 situations, and with Waters ailing went for the two-point convert, which was unsuccessful.

Hamilton countered with Medlock's 38-yard field goal at 7:42.

Matt Coates and Luke Tasker had Hamilton's others touchdowns. Medlock added the converts and four field goals while the other points came on a safety.

Stala had two converts while Waters added one.