Sporting Gijon recovered from heavy defeats in the past two weeks to record a comfortable 3-1 victory of their own at Rayo Vallecano.
The visitors dominated the opening period but were handed the opening goal after calamitous defending by Mikel Labaka and David Cobeno presented Diego Barral with an easy tap-in.
Nacho Novo doubled Sporting's advantage nine minutes before half-time from Miguel De Las Cuevas' fine through ball, and the former Rangers striker made sure of all three points with a neat finish following another defensive error, this time from Alejandro Arribas.
Rayo's improvement after the break was rewarded with a consolation goal in stoppage time as Michu proved too strong for Roberto Canella and calmly slotted past Juan Pablo.
Joan Verdu scored twice in the opening seven minutes as Espanyol ended their five-game winless run in the Primera Division with a 4-2 home victory over Atletico Madrid, while Real Mallorca's Victor ramped up the pressure on beleaguered Real Zaragoza coach Javier Aguirre as his solitary goal condemned the bottom club to another defeat.
Villarreal came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw against 10-man Real Sociedad. The hosts had the better of the opening period but fell behind seven minutes into the second half when Mikel Aranburu waltzed through the Villarreal box and finished from an angle.
The game turned, though, when Gorka Elustondo was sent off with half an hour remaining and Villarreal capitalised on the man advantage when Marco Ruben tapped home Juanlu's cross.
Alvaro's last-minute header salvaged a 1-1 draw for Racing Santander against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames, while Juanmi came off the bench to score his first goal of the season and rescue a deserved point for Malaga in a 1-1 draw at home to Osasuna, who had taken a 33rd-minute lead through Ibrahima Balde.
Substitute Javier Casquero scored the only goal as lowly Getafe ended Granada's five-game unbeaten run in La Liga with a 1-0 triumph at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Granada had enjoyed a good run of form in recent weeks which included victories over Real Zaragoza, Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla, but that ended against Getafe, who climbed out of the relegation zone as a result of the win.