CLEVELAND -- Brian Hoyer threw the game-clinching touchdown pass, turned and sprinted up the field as more than 70,000 fans roared. It was the same way he used to do it in his backyard as a boy, pretending to lead his beloved Browns to victory. On Sunday, he became a hometown hero for real. Hoyer, the local kid who grew up dreaming of one day being Clevelands quarterback, threw two touchdown passes in his first start at home to lead the revived Browns to a 17-6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Hoyer tossed a 1-yard TD pass to Chris Ogbonnaya with 4:54 left to give the Browns (2-2) an 11-point lead before Cleveland turned it over to its vastly improved defence to put the Bengals (2-2) away. Before the ball even dropped into Ogbonnayas hands, Hoyer took off running toward Clevelands helmet logo at the 50-yard-line with his index finger extended in the air. Once he neared mid-field, Hoyer stopped and pumped his fist in celebration as he did years ago after throwing a TD while playing with his brother and friends behind his familys home in North Olmsted, Ohio. "Its awesome," Hoyer. "Its cool to play in front of the hometown crowd in this stadium, where I grew up 15 minutes away from and obviously its a good day because the Tribe is winning, too." Not long after the Browns knocked off one of their division rivals, the Indians clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2007. Suddenly, Clevelands beleaguered sports teams are winning. In his second start in place of injured Brandon Weeden, Hoyer finished 25 of 38 for 269 yards and no interceptions. He threw a 2-yard TD pass in the first half to tight end Jordan Cameron, who had 10 catches for 91 yards. But for the second week in a row, he came through in the clutch. Last week, Hoyer threw a 7-yard TD pass to Cameron with 51 seconds left as the Browns rallied to stun the Minnesota Vikings. "Certainly hes been the spark that I had hoped for and has led us to two games -- winning two games," said first-year coach Rob Chudzinski, who also spent his childhood pulling for the Browns. The Bengals (2-2) couldnt get anything going on offence and quarterback Andy Dalton was intercepted by Buster Skrine with 3:43 left, ending any chance of a Cincinnati comeback. Cleveland limited the Bengals to 63 yards rushing and cornerback Joe Haden contained wide receiver A.J. Green. "We didnt make enough plays," said Dalton, who finished 23 of 42 for 206 yards. "I didnt play well enough. I expect better out of the offence. To not score a touchdown, weve got too good of players and too good of a team not to do that. We have all the ability in the world on this team and we didnt get it done." Hoyer began the season as Clevelands No. 3 quarterback. But after Weeden sprained his right thumb, Chudzinski tabbed Hoyer as his starter. Last week, Hoyer threw three touchdowns and three picks in the win at Minnesota. And although Weeden began throwing this week, hes not well enough to play. Now, he could be relegated to watching Hoyer for the rest of the season. Chudzinski would not commit to Hoyer starting on Thursday against Buffalo, but it would be stunning for there to be any other choice. "Im still going to go through the same process," Chudzinski said. "Were going to go in and evaluate the tape. I thought he (Hoyer) did a great job, particularly managing some of the things early. I think guys settled in, he settled in, made some great decisions and throws and made big plays." Clinging to a 10-6 lead, Hoyer drove the Browns 91 yards in 12 plays for the clinching score. Hoyer showed gorgeous touch on a 31-yard pass to Cameron to put the Browns at the Cincinnati 24. Willis McGahee, who promised a "dramatic" improvement in Clevelands running game this week, carried three times to the 1 and Hoyer took it from there, throwing his TD to Ogbonnaya. Even before Ogbonnaya crossed the goal line, Hoyer was overcome with emotion. "I was just telling Obie, by the time you caught it, I was at the 40," Hoyer said, smiling. "Its just good because you know youre capping off that long drive with a touchdown and thats what you need to win games." The Bengals were out of rhythm from the start on both sides of the ball. Cincinnati was missing two starters in its secondary -- cornerback Leon Hall and safety Reggie Nelson -- because of injury and the Bengals offence sputtered for all 60 minutes. Mike Nugents two field goals were all the Bengals could muster against Clevelands swarming defence. Green had seven catches for 51 mostly meaningless yards as Haden blanketed him all afternoon. It was a discouraging loss for the Bengals, who overcame four turnovers last week to beat Green Bay and wasted a chance to take early control in the AFC North. "It wasnt lack of effort," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "Today we didnt play well enough to win. Its part of what weve got to do. Weve got to keep growing and win." NOTES: Hoyer is the first Browns quarterback to win his first two starts since Mark Rypien in 1994. ... Pro Bowl LT Joe Thomas made his 100th straight start, extending his consecutive snaps streak to 6,125, the NFLs longest active streak. Thomas has not missed an offensive play since he was drafted third overall in 2007. ... Browns K Billy Cundiff made a 51-yarder after missing from 37 and 49. He missed most of the week with a quadriceps injury. ... Camerons 30 receptions through four games are the most for a tight end in Browns history. ... Browns rookie LB Barkevious Mingo started in place of injured Jabaal Sheard and recorded his third sack in three games. Francisco Cervelli Braves Jersey .NYCFC confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that this week Lampard signed a contract to start in July — midway through the new teams first season in MLS. Atlanta Braves Shirts . According to Tony Barrett of The Times, the Liverpool captain is set to announce that he will leave the club at the end of the 2014-15 season. https://www.cheapbraves.com/73o-ronald-a...sey-braves.html. And like the near entirety of last season, Jonathan Bernier and Torontos goaltending tandem is up to the task. Grant Dayton Braves Jersey .Y. -- Mark Steenhuis scored four goals and added two assists to lead the Buffalo Bandits over the Toronto Rock 12-10 in National Lacrosse League action on Saturday. Fake Braves Jerseys . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi, The Leafs/Canadiens game Saturday night was very entertaining, right up until the penalty in overtime against Bernier and the Leafs. Can you please explain what Bernier did wrong to be awarded that penalty in OT? Thanks,Brad Mains ----- Kerry, In the game last night - Leafs and Habs - the ref called a penalty on Bernier for delay of game in OT. I know it is a rule in the books, but has not been called, IMO, very much. It is the rule, but my question is this - Was calling it OT a fair thing to do? I realize the ref was damned if did and damned if not! What is your take on this. Cheers! Ray Bungay ----- Kerry: In the Toronto - Montreal game, there was a penalty handed to Bernier of Toronto for Delay of game for coming out of his net and smothering the puck with a Montreal player right there. This seems an unusual if not unnecessary call, given it was in the overtime. I have never seen this before. What is the basis for the call? Your views would be helpful. Ted Baskerville ----- Hi Kerry,The Leafs Habs game Saturday night, the overtime penalty assessed to Bernier. I have seen many goalies cover the puck well outside their crease, I asked a goalie friend of mine and he said he was taught as long as the goalie can reach or has some part of himself in the crease it can be covered outside of the crease. Is this a rule? I believe Bernier was still in the crease when he dove at the puck then slid for another couple of feet. Was that the right call or am I just another bitter Leafs fan. Thanks,Chris Stevens Brad, Ray, Ted and Chris: I dont want to add fuel to the "bitterness" some Leafs fans might feel or even demonstrate on occasion but the delay of game penalty that Jonathan Bernier was assessed in the overtime loss to the Canadiens on Saturday was a must call for the referee to make regardless of the score or the time remaining in the game! In every case, when a goalkeeper skates out of his net and covers on a loose puck that far from his crease a delay of game penalty should be assessed as per the rule. This infraction committed by thhe goalkeeper should applied with the same consistency as the puck over glass rule that we saw called against Peter Budaj (8:31 of first period) and Phil Kessel with just 31 seconds remaining in regulation time.dddddddddddd From Rule 63.2: A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player, including the goalkeeper, who holds, freezes or plays the puck with his stick, skates or body in such a manner as to deliberately cause a stoppage of play. With regard to a goalkeeper, this rule applies outside of his goal crease area. If a goalkeeper comes out of his crease to "cut down the angle" on a shot and after making the save covers the puck, this shall be legal. If the goalkeeper races out of his crease in an attempt to beat the attacking player to the puck and instead of playing the puck jumps on the puck causing a stoppage of play, this shall be a minor penalty for delay of game. The long stretch pass that PK Subban fired near the Habs goal line was too hot for Daniel Briere to handle cleanly at the Leafs blue line and created a race for a loose puck with Bernier on the potential scoring opportunity. A scoring opportunity was clearly eliminated when Bernier got to the puck first and covered it with his glove to cause a stoppage in play as opposed to legally playing the puck with his goal stick. The referee whistled the play dead and raised his arms in an upward fashion but did not immediately or emphatically signal a penalty to Bernier as he should have. A slower, perhaps methodical response by the ref was evident in both the camera shot and the minute of run-on commentary by the broadcasters before it became evident to them that a penalty to Bernier had been assessed. While you have never seen this penalty called Ted, I can assure you that I personally assessed it a number of times during my 30-year NHL officiating career. Whenever I had the occasion to make this call I did so immediately with an emphatic signal so there was no doubt or confusion in anyones mind that a penalty was assessed to the goalkeeper in this unique situation. Jonathan Bernier clearly violated rule 63.2 at 3:14 of the overtime period. The correct call was made by the referee and resulted in Max Paciorettys eventual power play game-winning goal. ' ' '