Levante missed the opportunity to clamber into the Primera Liga's top four on Thursday, while Espanyol prevailed in a basement battle.
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad stretched their unbeaten run after seeing off 10 men on home soil.
Levante entered their latest fixture sat just a point adrift of the UEFA Champions League, but ended it stuck in sixth spot following a 3-0 defeat at Rayo Vallecano.
Iganacio Martinez Nacho broke the deadlock for Rayo on 59 minutes, before the points were wrapped up late on.
With Levante chasing the game, Piti doubled the hosts' lead 10 minutes from the end and Franco Vazquez stepped off the bench to add a third in stoppage time.
Espanyol and Deportivo La Coruna locked horns in a tussle between the division's bottom two, and it was the Catalan outfit that emerged victorious.
Both sides had gone six games without success prior to their midweek encounter and were facing up a relegation dogfight.
Espanyol sprang out of the bottom three, though, courtesy of experienced Portuguese playmaker Simao and substitute Christian Stuani, with the pair netting after 31 and 88 minutes respectively.
Real Sociedad are very much in the hunt for European qualification following a 2-1 victory over out-of-sorts Sevilla.
Sociedad have now gone seven games without defeat, while Sevilla are five without a win.
Former Arsenal striker Carlos Vela broke the deadlock at Anoeta Stadium after 18 minutes, only for Gary Medel to restore parity four minutes into the second half.
Alberto de la Bella edged Sociedad back in front on 69 minutes and any hope Sevilla had of finding a route back into the tie evaporated five minutes later when Coke picked up a second yellow card.
