Harry Kane scored his fourth Bundesliga treble in an all-round masterclass to help Bayern Munich crush second-bottom Mainz 8-1 at home on Saturday and trim Bayer Leverkusen's lead to seven points.
Leon Goretzka was on target in-between the England striker's first-half double, thanks to Kane's clever leave, and after a thumping free-kick from Nadiem Amiri failed to derail the improving champions, Thomas Müller, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry netted.
Kane then headed in his 30th goal of his maiden Bundesliga season as he eyes Robert Lewandowski's league record of 41 goals in a campaign before Goretzka made it eight in stoppage time.
"It was a very convincing win. We played a top game over 90 minutes and it feels a lot more fun this way," midfielder Goretzka told Sky.
Unbeaten Leverkusen, seeking a first ever Bundesliga title, host Wolfsburg on Sunday when Xabi Alonso's side can re-establish their 10-point lead with just nine games left this season.
In other Saturday matches, third-bottom Cologne draw 3-3 at mid-table Borussia Mönchengladbach in a wild Rhine derby after 200 fans were detained following violence on Friday.
Cologne were looking for their second Rhine derby win of the season and led twice through Faride Alidou only to be pegged back by Franck Honorat and Robin Hack, who soon made it 3-2.
But fellow substitute Damion Downs conjured up a magical leveller.
Cologne are still adrift in the relegation play-off spot but put themselves two points ahead of Mainz in the automatic drop zone.
Darmstadt, also in the relegation zone in bottom spot, are now 12 points from absolute safety after Thomas Isherwood's early own goal and Christoph Baumgartner's strike in a 2-0 defeat at RB Leipzig.
The win for Leipzig put them into the fourth Champions League spot pending Borussia Dortmund's game at Werder Bremen later on Saturday.
Augsburg powered up to eighth, with a late European push not out of the question having looked in a relegation battle just a few weeks ago. Jess Thorup's side beat mid-table Heidenheim 1-0 at home courtesy of defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw's fine finish from a corner.
On Friday, VFB Stuttgart consolidated third spot with a 2-0 home win over Union Berlin while Bochum host Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt welcome Hoffenheim on Sunday.
Bayern have won the last 11 Bundesliga titles but with Leverkusen on the cusp of their first, the Bavarians announced last month that coach Thomas Tuchel would leave at the end of the season.
Since the announcement, Bayern have looked more relaxed and followed up the Champions League last-16 win over Lazio with another triumph.
Kane tapped in Jamal Musiala's pass following a quick break and the England captain also had a role in Goretzka's scuffed goal for 2-0, realizing he was offside and moving away from the ball.
Amiri, who joined Mainz from Leverkusen in January, tried to do his old side a favour with his free-kick for 2-1 but in truth it only flew in because Müller moved in the wall.
He made amends by converting Musiala's cross in the second half and the Germany youngster then deservedly got on the scoresheet himself after Kane's special pass.
Gnabry, on his Bundesliga comeback after weeks out injured, expertly flicked in the sixth before 30-year-old Kane was just onside to head home before Goretzka completed the rout.
