Click here to see the 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A table
The visitors went into the game on the back of four successive wins, while Bahia were in trouble in the relegation zone having lost their last two.
Souza and Jones went close for the hosts early on, as did Ciro for Fluminense, but it was Bahia who took the lead just before the half hour in controversial circumstances.
Marcos’ shot from the edge of the penalty area was palmed away by former Liverpool goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri, but straight into the path of Souza, who had a simple tap in to make it 1-0.
The striker looked as if he could have been in an offside position, and Cavalieri appealed for the goal to be ruled out, but the referee waved away his protests and it was allowed to stand.
Bahia ended the break with their lead intact, and 13 minutes into the second half they were able to celebrate going 2-0 ahead.
Again Marcos was involved, as he broke well down the right, and his low ball in was met by the sliding Gum, who diverted the ball past Cavalieri into his own net.
The defender has been linked with Villarreal and Real Betis recently, but as if an own goal wasn’t bad enough, his day soon got worse.
On 71 minutes, he brought down Lulinha inside the penalty area, and received his second booking of the game, meaning Flu were down to ten men.
To add insult to injury, Souza stepped up to smash in the resulting penalty and put the seal on a fine win for Bahia.
They have now climbed above Atletico Mineiro to move out of the bottom four, while Fluminense are in eighth, eight points behind league leaders Vasco da Gama.
