Japan striker Shinji Okazaki grabbed a brace to take his goal tally for the season to 12 as Mainz beat Freiburg 3-2 away in the German first division on Saturday.
Okazaki put Mainz in front six minutes before halftime, racing in at the back post to hit home after Yunus Malli failed to make contact with a tempting cross into the box from Jairo Samperio.
Freiburg goalkeeper Roman Burki managed to get his legs on the ball but was unable to stop it from squirming over the line.
Okazaki then put Mainz in control on the stroke of halftime, diverting the ball over the line at the crucial moment after Freiburg failed to clear a corner from the left.
"It was a very tight game," said Okazaki. "We were feeling the pressure before the game and were a bit stiff at the start and nobody wanted the ball."
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Shinji Kagawa was on target as Dortmund beat Paderborn 3-0.