WINNIPEG -- Buck Pierce breathed some life into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers offence and the teams faint playoff hopes. St. Louis Rams Jersey . Pierce and the Bombers scored three touchdowns en route to a 34-12 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday. Pierce has been out since July with an injured foot. It was his first win since the season started and the first for interim head coach Tim Burke, who gave full credit to his starting quarterbacks return. "Theres a combination of things that led to our offensive success and obviously Buck is a big part of that," said Burke, as the Bombers (3-9) now look ahead to the Toronto Argonauts next Saturday. "You can see when hes out there he takes command of the huddle. I thought he did a great job using the clock going against the wind. He burned a bunch of time off the clock and just managed the game so well." The wind was gusting to almost 60 kilometres per hour at the start of the game and the temperature was a chilly 8 C, falling about five degrees during the game. It didnt seem to bother Pierce, who completed 21-of-31 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown to Kito Poblah in the third quarter. Hamilton quarterback Henry Burris managed only 11-of-24 attempts and 156 yards as penalties either sapped the Ticats (4-8) momentum or gave new life to stalled Bomber drives. "Penalties killed us tonight and we just didnt make enough plays on offence," he said after the game, his voice hoarse from trying to be heard calling signals over a screaming crowd. "Its something that weve got to figure out ASAP." Coach George Cortez said the Bombers didnt surprise him with the effort they put in but his Ticats did. "We had a discussion, not a discussion, a soliloquy about penalties," he said. "I was very disappointed in how we came out tonight." Burke said the rest of the offence stepped up, from the offensive line to the receivers and in particular running back Chad Simpson, who had the best night of his rookie season. Simpson ran for 134 yards and picked up another 58 receiving as the Bombers used him more than they have all year to great effect. "What running back wouldnt want the bull as much as I got it tonight," said a smiling Simpson as the Bomber dressing room got its first chance to celebrate a win since Aug. 16. "But kudos to Buck, he came back, and kudos to the offensive line and the receiving corps, we just played a great collective game." Pierce said the way the Bombers won the game was important. Although they led 9-6 after the first half they only really broke away in the final quarter. "We won it in the fourth quarter, thats big," he said. The Bombers went into the game without an offensive touchdown in 13 quarters of football, ending that drought in the third from the one-yard line. Short-yards specialist and backup quarterback Alex Brink took it over. Pierce was proud of what the offence managed. "We took what they were giving us. . . . We used their defensive structure against them." Justin Palardy kicked four field goals and added a single, and running back Will Ford ran 17 yards for Winnipegs third touchdown in the fourth. Hamilton lost its first game in Winnipeg this season thanks largely to turnovers. This time it was penalties. The Ticats havent beat the Bombers since 2010. The first half of the game was a field goal dual between Palardy and Hamiltons Luca Congi that Palardy won 9-6. Congi had two more in the third quarter but Brinks touchdown kept the Bombers in the lead. Notes: Terrence Edwards moved into fourth on the Bomber all-time receiving list when he passed 6,296 yards. He had 88 yards for the night. . 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A day after a demoralizing defeat, the Baltimore Orioles won a test of wills and Game 4 of the AL division series, bouncing back to outlast the New York Yankees 2-1 in 13 innings Thursday night on J.METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma hopes to play a bigger role on the Saints defence in his second game of the season. Playing for the first time while appealing his season-long suspension for his role in the New Orleans bounty program, Vilma played 18 snaps last Sunday against Tampa Bay. "I felt a little rusty, especially with the new defence, getting used to some of the new guys on the team and not being around them," he said. "I didnt get a chance to practice in OTAs or training camp or preseason, so for me this is a crash course in everything -- the new defence, the new guys, playing, getting into shape." The fact that he is playing at all is somewhat surprising. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for the season in May. Even after he got a reprieve two days before the season opener against Washington when a three-man appeals panel vacated that suspension and asked Goodell to clarify the rationale, the Saints placed Vilma on the Physically Unable to Perform list due to a lingering left knee problem. Goodell suspended him again on Oct. 9. Vilma declined Friday to talk about any bounty-related topics leading into his appeals hearing Tuesday with former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who will decide whether to uphold Goodells ruling. Vilma readily talked about his health and playing against the Broncos. He said his knee, and his entire body, held up very well after the Tampa Bay game. He did not make a tackle but had one deflection and forced a near interception by pressuring Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman as New Orleans won its second in row, 35-28, after losing its first four. "Its a great feeling," Vilma said. "Aside from all the other stuff going on outside of football, it was just really good to get our second victory. Were starting to play a little bit better. Were definitely playing a lot harder with a lot more conviction, and it shows on the field." Vilma played almost exclusively in the nickel package and never at his accustomed middle linebacker spot. Curtis Lofton, the Saints leading tackler, took over that role soon after he signed in March. But just having Vilma on the field can help the Saints struggling defence, which ranks last in the NFL in yards allowed. [url=http://www.ramsofficialteamstore.com/autographed-cortland-finnegan-jersey-l... Finnegan Jersey[/url]. . "Leadership is something that you really cant coach and really cant fake," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Hes a great, natural-born leader, so whenever he steps out there his presence does bring a sense of leadership that you really cant get out of other people." For the first time since 2008, when the NFL allowed a defensive player on each team to wear a headset connected to a coach on the sideline, Vilma went without the earpiece against Tampa Bay. That did not stop him from dictating formations while he played. "I dont have the headset, so thats different," Vilma said. "But lining up the guys, making checks and all that, that never changes." The headset was the only part he did not enjoy about playing middle linebacker for former Saints defensive co-ordinator Gregg Williams. "Im actually kind of relieved," Vilma said. "Gregg used to tell me like a million things and wouldnt tell me the play, and then finally hed tell me the play with like five seconds left. Im in my own world now. Im not in Greggs world. Im in my head." He will face one of the headiest NFL quarterbacks in Denvers Peyton Manning on Sunday. Because he is playing in the nickel, and because teams usually defend the Broncos no-huddle offence in nickel formations, Vilmas play count should rise significantly. The last time the Saints played Manning, they beat him and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV. Saints interim coach Joe Vitt estimated this week Vilma called defensive audibles in that game about 45 per cent of the time, matching wits with Manning. Despite his rustiness, Vilma cant wait for another opportunity. "Im dead serious -- unless they take me out, Im staying in," he said. "Ill find a way to make some plays." Notes: Vitt said tight end Jimmy Graham, who has a sprained right ankle, would be a game-time decision. Graham was limited in practice all week after missing the Tampa Bay game. Said Graham: "I think Im ready now, and hopefully theyll allow me to play." . Vitt labeled linebacker David Hawthorne a game-time decision, too. Hawthorne has missed three straight games after hurting his right hamstring against Kansas City. ' ' '