MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Linebacker Elfrid Payton returned a fumble 23 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter as the Montreal Alouettes topped the British Columbia Lions 21-12 Sunday for their fourth straight home win.

Payton scooped up quarterback Damon Allen's fumble and raced to the end zone to break an 11-11 deadlock. Terry Baker kicked his second field goal of the game, a 41-yarder early in the final period, to extend Montreal's lead to 21-11.

Anthony Calvillo accounted for the Alouettes' other touchdown with an 8-yard toss to Thomas Haskins in the second quarter. Calvillo was 12-for-18 for 264 yards with an interception.

Allen completed 21 of 34 passes for 210 yards, including a 3-yard strike to Robert Drummond that opened the scoring midway through the first quarter.

Mike Pringle rushed for 119 yards on 22 carries for Montreal (8-3), which improved to 5-1 at home. The Alouettes opened a four-point lead over second-place Hamilton in the Eastern Division.

B.C. (8-3) had a four-game winning streak stopped and remained tied for first place with Calgary in the West.