Eastern Conference challengers, Toronto ended a five-match winless run in all competitions with a 2-0 victory at the struggling Montreal Impact.
Gilberto and Luke Moore were on the scoresheet for Ryan Nelsen's men, who are third in the East.
The loss was Montreal's sixth straight in MLS and left them bottom of the conference with just three wins.
Toronto needed just 11 minutes to go ahead at the Stade Saputo, even without injured star forward Jermain Defoe.
Dominic Oduro squared a pass from the right for Gilberto, whose powerful effort from inside the area went in off the bar after Impact goalkeeper Troy Perkins got a hand on the shot.
Oduro also played a key part in the second goal in the 54th minute.
Released down the right by a wonderful pass from Michael Bradley, his cutback was partially intercepted before Moore scrambled in from close range.
That would be all Toronto needed to claim the three points against an Impact side struggling for confidence.
The Western Conference-leading Sounders suffered a shock 1-0 loss at the San Jose Earthquakes.
Yannick Djalo's 42nd-minute goal was all that separated two teams who have endured differing fortunes this season.
It marked the Sounders' third loss in four league outings, but they remain two points clear, while it was the Earthquakes' sixth win of the campaign.
Robbie Keane scored a second-half brace as the Los Angeles Galaxy claimed a 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers.
Bradley Wright-Phillips continued his fine goalscoring form, scoring the winner as a 10-man New York Red Bulls edged the New England Revolution 2-1.
The Chicago Fire and the Columbus Crew played out a 1-1 draw and Real Salt Lake held on for a 1-0 win at the Colorado Rapids despite a red card early in the second half.
