Jason Garey and Adam Moffat scored for Columbus late in the first half, on either side of Frankie Hejduk's own goal, as the Crew beat the Chicago Fire 2-1 in Major League Soccer on Saturday.
Columbus moved three points clear of New York for the Eastern Conference lead while Chicago lost for the first time in six MLS games.
Moffat opened the scoring in the 43rd after poking the ball away from goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra for a tap-in. Hejduk headed Baggio Husidic's cross into his own net a minute later.
Garey's diving header in the second minute of stoppage time, off Eddie Gaven's pass, put the Crew back on top.
In Frisco, Texas, Dallas' David Ferreira converted a penalty for his third goal in four games and gave the Wizards their fifth loss in six MLS road games this season.
Ferreira drew the foul in the 57th minute when was taken down by Kansas City defender Roger Espinoza while trying to corral a pass from Jair Benitez.
Ferreira drilled the ball into the upper right corner as KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen dove the other way.
After that, though, momentum gradually shifted toward the Wizards, and KC almost equalized on successive chances by Graham Zusi.
In Santa Clara, California, rookie Andy Najar scored in the 54th minute to secure a point for D.C. United at San Jose.
The 17-year-old, who joined D.C. United (3-9-2) from the team's academy before the season, volleyed home a cross from Stephen King at the far post for his second career MLS goal,.
San Jose rookie Ike Opara put the Earthquakes up in the 16th minute, cleaning up a deflection after San Jose's Ramiro Corrales and D.C. United's Juan Manuel Pena battled for a corner. Opara's shot from 10 yards out sneaked between goalkeeper Troy Perkins and a post.
The Earthquakes (5-4-4) had been 5-0 when scoring first, but Perkins repelled the rest of San Jose's attacks, including a shot by Ramiro Corrales in the 51st minute and Omar Jasseh's open try from 10 yards out in the 89th.
In Carson, California, Blair Gavin scored in the 42nd minute to salvage a home point for Chivas against Philadelphia.
Chivas broke a six-game losing streak against Major League Soccer opponents.
Gavin scored his second goal of the season by intercepting Cristian Arrieta's clearance and firing a low 23-yard shot inside the right post.
Danny Mwanga gave the Union a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute with a diagonal 7-yard shot inside the right post over prone goalkeeper Zach Thornton.
But Thornton kept Philadelphia from regaining the lead in the 65th minute, when he slid 15 yards from the goal to make a point-blank save on Fred's shot.
Chivas' Jonathan Bornstein played his first game since returning from United States duty at the World Cup.
