TORONTO -- Alex Brink rushed for two TDs while Chad Simpson and Will Ford ran for others as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers powered past the Toronto Argonauts 44-32 to keep their slim CFL playoff hopes alive.

Winnipeg (5-11) rushed for over 235 yards against Toronto (7-9) to take the pressure off quarterback Buck Pierce before a Rogers Centre gathering of 23,419. Pierce was under centre for the first time since suffering a mild concussion in a 29-10 home loss to the Argos on Sept. 29.

The loss, Toronto's fifth in six games, tarnished a solid return by Ricky Ray. The Argos starting quarterback, who missed three straight games with a knee injury, threw four TD passes, his 14-yard strike to Jason Barnes pulling the home team to within 37-32 at 11:48 of the fourth.

Toronto had one last gasp, taking the ball at its 12-yard line with 1:19 remaining. But defensive tackle Andre Carroll cemented the win for Winnipeg, recovering Ricky Ray's fumble at the Argos' 22-yard line with 1:03 to play, setting up Ford's five-yard TD run at 14:51.

Pierce's injury was a contentious one as it came the result of a controversial hit from Toronto's Brandon Isaac, who was later fined by the CFL for it. The league also fined Bombers offensive linemen Steve Morley and Justin Sorensen for attempting to retaliate against Isaac while defensive back Jovon Johnson was fined for public comments he made about the incident.

That prompted talk about bad blood existing between the teams heading into the contest but both head coaches said prior to the contest they'd spoken to their players about playing it straight. They obviously got the message because while the contest definitely had many hard hits, none were of the questionable variety.

Winnipeg moved into a tie with Hamilton (5-10) for third in the East Division as the Tiger-Cats face the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday. The Blue Bombers, amazingly, can still finish second in the East Division and host a playoff game.

Winnipeg must win its two remaining games while Toronto loses its final two and Hamilton goes 2-1 to create a three-way tie that the Bombers would win by having a better record among the tied clubs.

Toronto, though, can still clinch second in the East Division by winning one of its two remaining contests and having Hamilton lose one of its last three games. Friday's game was the first meeting this season between Ray and Pierce but Toronto still won the season series 2-1.

Ray had Toronto marching late in the third after Justin Palardy's 45-yard field goal and Alex Brink's two-yard TD run put Winnipeg ahead 34-22. But the promising drive ended when Argo Chad Owens, following a 16-yard catch inside the Bombers; 30-yard line, lost his second fumble of the game.

Jason Vega scored Winnipeg's other touchdown. Palardy added the converts and three field goals.

Barnes, with three, and Andre Durie had Toronto's touchdowns. Swayze Waters booted the converts, a single and field goal.

Simpson's 14-yard TD run at 13:08 of the second quarter staked Winnipeg to a 24-21 half-time advantage, a score that flattered Toronto considering the Bombers dominated the first in storming out to a 14-0 advantage. Ray erased the deficit with three TD strikes in the second, including an eight-yard toss to Barnes at 12:08 that put the Argos ahead 21-17.

Winnipeg thoroughly controlled the first, registering nine first downs (to one for Toronto) and 118 offensive yards. After Brink's four-yard touchdown pass to Vega at 11:27 opened the scoring, Brink added a one-yard TD run at 13:08. It was set up by James Green's recovery of Chad Owens' fumble on a kickoff at the Argos' 28-yard line.

Notes: Receiver Ken-Yon Rambo was among Toronto's scratches while Winnipeg slotback Terrence Edwards, who needs 11 yards to reach the 1,000-yard plateau for the fifth time in his CFL career, also didn't dress either . . . Veteran Adriano Belli, 35, who came out of retirement Wednesday to rejoin the Argos, started at defensive tackle . . . How important is Ray to Toronto's offence? Prior to Friday's game, the Argos averaged 304 yards passing in 11 complete games Ray has played and just 197 yards over the four contests he hasn't appeared in . . . Winnipeg's eight turnovers in last weekend's 32-21 loss to Calgary marked the third time this season the club has registered seven or more turnovers in a game.