Vasco de Gama stretched their 100% Campeonato record to four matches to go two points clear at the top of the table with a 2-1 win at Bahia.
Juninho put the pace-setters ahead in the seventh minute, with Diego Souza adding a second in the 31st minute.
Bahia grabbed their consolation in the last minute through substitute Junior Pipoca.
Gremio moved into third with their third win of the season, 2-0 against rock-bottom Corinthians.
Marcos Antonio (22) and Andre Lima (30) were the scorers.
Both teams had a man sent off as Nautico Recife beat Botafogo 3-2, Wanderley Derley with the 83rd-minute winner.
Nautico went two ahead through Clemerson Araujo (17) and Carlos Lucio (32) only to see Marcio Rosario sent off eight minutes into the second half.
A Marcio Azevedo effort and a Cesinha own-goal tied matters before the former saw red 12 minutes from time, paving the way for Wanderley's winner.
Portuguesa defeated Atletico Goianiense 2-0, with Ricardo Jesus and Moises Lima Magalhaes on target.
Cruzeiro nicked a 1-0 win against visiting Sport Recife, Wellington converting a 70th-minute penalty.
Sao Paulo edged Santos by the same scoreline, Paulo Miranda with the only goal after eight minutes.
Figueirense and Ponte Preta drew 0-0, as did Fluminense and Internacional.
