After Schalke and Stuttgart won their games on Saturday, the ball was in Bremen's court on Sunday, and they did not let the pressure affect them as they won comfortably thanks to a Markus Rosenberg hat-trick.

Rosenberg scored the first after 19 minutes and a red card for Berlin defender Josip Simunic 10 minutes before half-time made life easier for Thomas Schaaf's men.

Rosenberg grabbed his and Bremen's second five minutes into the second half before Diego made it three on the hour-mark.

Gilberto pulled a goal back one minute later, but the match was over when Rosenberg completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute.

Bremen's early attacks were rewarded with the opening goal inside 20 minutes.

Patrick Owomoyela fed Rosenberg inside the penalty area and the Swede's powerful shot left Christian Fiedler with no chance in the Hertha goal.

Bremen sat on their lead and allowed the home side to work their way back into the game with Yildiray Basturk in particular causing problems.

However, an ugly scene in the 35th minute punctured the flow of play.

Hertha defender Simunic went in dangerously high on Daniel Jensen with his foot raised, and he caught the Danish midfielder on the head.

Referee Herbert Fandel did not hesitate in showing the Croatia international the red card, while Jensen was carried from the field with a nasty-looking head injury.

Against 10 men, and already one goal to the good, Bremen were comfortably in control of the game.

And Rosenberg netted his second just five minutes into the second half.

There was no Berlin defender to be seen as Frank Baumann reached a through-ball and pulled it back to Rosenberg, who struck his shot high into the roof of the net from 10 yards.

Diego made it three 10 minutes later to put the result beyond any doubt.

Miroslav Klose chested the ball beautifully into his path, and he held off the challenge of Mineiro before sweeping the ball past a helpless Fiedler.

Sixty seconds later, Gilberto took advantage of some slack Bremen defending to reduce the arrears after playing a fine one-two with Ashkan Dejagah on the edge of the area and placing his shot into the bottom corner.

Basturk missed the chance to bring the home side right back into the game when he pulled his shot wide of the far post with only Tim Wiese to beat five minutes later.

It was only a minor scare to Bremen, though, who had further chances through Klose to make it four.

Jurica Vranjes had a shot cleared off the line before Rosenberg completed his hat-trick with nine minutes remaining, placing his shot inside the post from level with the penalty spot.

The win keeps Bremen just two points behind league leaders Schalke, and one adrift of second-placed Stuttgart.