Schalke have extended their unbeaten streak in the Bundesliga to five matches thanks to a 3-0 home win over Hannover on Sunday.
Schalke, who sit third on the league table, took the lead after just six minutes when Spanish veteran Raul converted Jefferson Farfan's assist.
Farfan was a constant nuisance and although Schalke led by just one goal at the break, the Peruvian set up Raul for another strike just two minutes into the second half.
The match was as good as over just after the hour-mark when Farfan again laid on an assist, with Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar this time the beneficiary.
The goal was Huntelaar's 16th in his last 11 matches for the club, who moved five points ahead of fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Sunday's other match saw Bayer Leverkusen caretaker boss Sami Hyypia end his side's run of five consecutive defeats as they drew 1-1 at Hamburg.
Robin Dutt lost his job in charge of the BayArena outfit due to a horrendous run of form and it was a familiar feeling for the Leverkusen players when they entered the half-time break behind after Mladen Petric's 40th-minute penalty.
But Hyypia's men dug deep and Andre Schuerrle ensured both sides would share the spoils with his equaliser 15 minutes later.