Augsburg pulled away from the Bundesliga's bottom three Sunday with a 3-0 home win over Wolfsburg thanks to a lightning start by the hosts.
Brazil defender Iago fired the hosts into the lead after just 51 seconds before second-half goals by Florian Niederlechner and Mads Pedersen sealed the win.
The victory lifts Augsburg to 14th in Germany's top-flight, giving the hosts a three-point buffer from the bottom three places.
However, they could climb higher Wednesday at home to Mainz in a game postponed due to an outbreak of Covid last month in the visitors' squad.
"We need every point. Everyone is ready," Augsburg goalscorer Pedersen told DAZN.
Niederlechner, who hooked in the second goal, described it as a "perfect afternoon".
Only a string of superb saves by Borussia Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer rescued a point for the hosts in their 1-1 draw with Mainz.
Swiss striker Breel Embolo gave Gladbach the lead at Borussia Park, but Karim Onisiwo equalised after the break for Mainz, who finished much the stronger.
"After the break we no longer had a grip on the game," Sommer told DAZN.
"Fortunately, we didn't lose, but we completely lost our shape in the second half."
Mainz are winless in their last nine away games going into Wednesday's trip to Augsburg. They then travel to Cologne three days later.
On Saturday, runaway leaders Bayern Munich romped to a 4-1 win at Freiburg.
However, the German FA (DFB) could reverse the result as Bayern briefly had 12 players on the pitch due to a mix-up following a double substitution.
Bayern are nine points clear and steaming to a 10th straight league title as second-placed Borussia Dortmund were thrashed 4-1 at home by RB Leipzig.
