It was a dark and stormy night at Ivor Wynne Stadium. And if that's got a familiar ring to it, so will this: the Hamilton Tiger-Cats lost.

Coming off back-to-back three-win seasons, the black and gold got the 2009 Canadian Football League campaign off to another rocky start, losing 30-17 to the Toronto Argonauts before an announced crowd of 23,211, who braved unseasonably cool temperatures and the occasional shower in vain.

Argos 30, Ticats 17

"They say you have to win two of three phases to win the game, we got beat in all three phases. The score was indicative of the game," said Ticat head coach Marcel Bellefeuille.

After slow starts in their two pre-season games, Hamilton laid another egg in the first quarter of the season opener. The Argos scored on their first two possessions, both scoring drives of more than 90 yards.

By the time the first stanza was finished, the Argos had 207 yards of offence -- the Ticats had 25 -- and the Double Blue had a 20-0 lead.

The home crowd finally had something to cheer about with the first drive of the second quarter. It was the Argos turn to take a pair of penalties, Ticat Chris Davis hauled in a couple of passes from quarterback Quinton Porter and Terry Caulley bulled his way to the end zone when it looked like he would be stopped for a loss.

The Cats kept coming. A

49-yard punt return by Marquay McDaniel -- only a uncalled trip preventing him going all the way to the house -- set up an 15-yard field goal by hobbled Nick Setta, who punted and did his best to split uprights but left kickoffs to Dave Stala.

But, on the next drive, Argo running back Jamal Robertson scampered 46 yards -- he had 102 yards rushing in the first half -- to set up a Toronto field goal. A second Porter interception, this one in the end zone, snuffed out another good Ticat scoring chance and left the halftime score at 23-10.

The Cats started the second half poorly as well. A face-mask penalty on the opening kickoff and a

38-yard run by Robertson set up a 22-yard touchdown pass to Matt Lambros -- his first catch in the league. More importantly, it restored the Argos' 20-point lead. Prechae Rodriguez scored late for the Ticats.

Porter, named the starter at game time over Kevin Glenn, did little to cement his status as the No. 1 quarterback going 22 for 35 for 199 yards with a pair of touchdowns and two picks. He also had 61 yards rushing on nine carries, but too often was left with little option but to run, his receivers failing to get open downfield. He was also sacked six times

The Argos, meanwhile, looked strong in Bart Andrus' first game as a head coach in the CFL. Toronto quarterback Kerry Joseph finished 12 for 223 for 180 yards with three touchdowns and no picks. Robertson shredded the Ticat defensive for 118 yards on 13 carries. He also scored.

"I'm extremely proud of this team because they came into camp with an open mind, they bought into what we were selling and they worked their fannies off for the last 31/2 weeks and it paid of for them," Andrus said.

Up next for the Cats: a visit to B.C. Place, July 10.

dedwards@thespec.com

905-526-2481

Ticats vs. Argos Game summary

First quarter

TOR: (10:59) K. Joseph six-yard pass to A. Bruce. (J. Payton convert missed)

Toronto 6 Hamilton 0

TOR: (4:43) K. Joseph seven-yard pass to R. McNeal (E. Johnson convert).

Toronto 13 Hamilton 0

TOR: (15:00) J. Robertson five-yard run (E. Johnson convert).

Toronto 20 Hamilton 0

Second quarter

HAM: (12:31) Q. Porter five-yard pass to T. Caulley (N. Setta convert).

Toronto 20 Hamilton 7

HAM: (2:48) N. Setta 15-yard FG.

Toronto 20 Hamilton 10

TOR: (2:19) E. Johnson 25-yard FG.

Toronto 23 Hamilton 10

Third quarter

TOR: (13:04) K. Joseph 22-yard TD pass to M. Lambros (E. Johnson convert).

Toronto 30 Hamilton 10

Fourth quarter

HAM: (0:57) Q. Porter 22-yard TD pass to P. Rodriguez (N. Setta convert).

Toronto 30 Hamilton 17