FC Cincinnati earned their fifth straight win as the Orange and Blue defeated NYCFC 3-1 at Yankee Stadium.
Luciano Acosta, celebrating his 29th birthday, put Cincinnati in front in the 38th minute following a lovely sequence of play started by Matt Miazga.
The Orange and Blue made it 2-0 on 58 minutes from an Alvaro Barreal free-kick before NYCFC halved the deficit courtesy of a header by Braian Cufre.
Brandon Vazquez then scored his fourth goal of the season through a penalty kick after VAR had determined Tony Alfaro upended Yerson Mosquera.
The victory is Cincinnati's fifth in a row, tied with St. Louis for the longest winning streak in MLS this season and extends their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to eight points over second-place Nashville.
NYCFC have now gone winless in seven matches in all competitions and sit second from bottom in the East, one point ahead of last-place Miami.
Story of the match
NYCFC were back in the Bronx for the first time since April having not lost a home match at Yankee Stadium since March of last year and sported a 4-1-1 mark at home this season.
Head coach Nick Cushing made five changes to the side that were defeated by Philadelphia as Matt Freese, Tony Alfaro and Stephen Turnbull made their first MLS starts for the Boys In Blue, while Cufré and Gabe Segal were also restored to the starting XI.
The hosts were on the front foot in the early stages of the contests as Gabriel Pereira had the game's first chance, cutting inside but his shot went harmlessly wide.
On 18 minutes, James Sands got on the end of a Santiago Rodriguez corner only to see Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano tip the ball over.
Freese was then called into action, saving from Santiago Arias while Turnbull blocked the rebound from Barreal.
The Orange and Blue continued to keep up the pressure, Vazquez going over the bar before Yaya Kubo fired wide of the far post and Acosta sent one into the arms of Freese.
NYCFC appeared to have taken the lead through Pereira on the half-hour mark only to see the goal waved off after Segal was called for a foul in the build-up play with replays suggesting otherwise.
Seven minutes before the break Cincinnati were in front. Barreal cut back and drove to the byline and Acosta then took a lay-off from Dominique Badji and curled into the top corner.
On the stroke of halftime, Barreal nearly doubled the visitors' advantage as his driven half-volley was wide of the goal while the Boys In Blue almost equalized, Cufre seeing his cross-shot deflect off the crossbar.
Following the halftime break, Celentano made three outstanding stops in quick succession, stopping Rodriguez's free-kick, the rebound by Pereira and a header by Maxime Chanot from the ensuing corner.
Just before the hour mark, the Orange and Blue doubled the lead, Acosta drawing a foul and Barreal curled in a stunning free-kick.
Badji then went wide before the hosts picked things up thanks to substitute Alfredo Morales.
Keaton Parks went close as he targeted the top corner before Morales made his presence felt, crossing for Cufré to nod in his first goal for NYCFC to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Two minutes later, the visitors were awarded a penalty, VAR determining that Alfaro had fouled Yerson Mosquera and Vazquez converted from the spot to restore Cincinnati's two-goal advantage.
Cufré and Richy Ledezma went close to making it a one-goal game again and the Orange and Blue held on for their first-ever victory over the Boys In Blue.
Man of the match: Brandon Vazquez
Had a good early chance and converted on the penalty that ensured Cincinnati's victory. The combination of him and Acosta remains one of the most potent in the league.