Betis coach Paco Chaparro and an assistant were red carded for protesting in injury time.
Recreativo's Turkish striker, Ersen Martin, slid the ball home in the ninth minute for his first league goal, with midfielder Javier Camunas adding the second from close range in the 42nd.
The match in Huelva had been in doubt until Friday, when Levante players called off a weekend strike over unpaid wages after reaching an agreement with the club.
Recreativo's win lifted it out of the relegation zone, where it was replaced by Zaragoza, after its draw at Espanyol.
Midfielder Albert Riera scored in the 59th minute, Espanyol's first goal in six games, with Ricardo Oliveira leveling for Zaragoza with an 84th-minute penalty.
Atletico stayed in fourth place after a draw at Getafe.
Getafe opened the scoring through midfielder Juan Albin's 13th-minute volley, with Sergio Aguero equalizing for Atletico in the 39th.
Getafe midfielder Ruben De La Red missed an 83rd-minute penalty.
Fifth-place Santander trails Atletico by two points following a 3-1 defeat at Mallorca in which Jose Carlos Nunes, Oscar Trejo and Daniel Guiza scored second-half goals.
Aldo Duscher replied for Santander with an 86th-minute penalty.
Valencia eased its relegation fears by beating Osasuna in its first match under caretaker coach Salvador "Voro" Gonzalez, who took charge following Monday's sacking of Ronald Koeman.
The home team took a 21st-minute lead through David Villa's penalty, awarded after Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez was adjudged to have tripped the striker and was sent off.
Juan Manuel Mata added a second goal in the 52nd, with Joaquin Sanchez sealing the win in the 84th.
Voro gave goalkeeper Santiago Canizares his first start since December. The veteran had been axed by Koeman in December, together with Spain midfielders David Albelda and Miguel Angel Angulo, who were recalled to the bench. Angulo appeared as a late substitute.
Jonathan Sesma struck in injury time to bring struggling Valladolid a victory over Almeria.
Also on Saturday, relegation-threatened Murcia drew 0-0 with Sevilla.
