"Shortly after outfielder Ryan Ludwick arrives at Petco Park this morning, Padres manager Bud Black plans to press him into service.

"I expect him to play and hit in the middle of the lineup somewhere," the Padres manager said Saturday night after the inoffensive Padres dropped a second straight decision to the Florida Marlins at Petco Park.

All of a sudden, the Padres are struggling.

Instead of getting a boost from the arrival of Miguel Tejada and news of Saturday morning's acquisition of Ludwick from St. Louis in a three-team trade that included Cleveland sending pitcher Jake Westbrook to the Cardinals, the Padres flattened out.

"The last few games, we have not shown our best," said outfielder Scott Hairston, whose homer leading off the sixth was the Padres' lone hit through seven innings against Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco.

Saturday night's 6-3 loss to the Marlins before a sellout crowd of 42,072 reduced the Padres' lead over San Francisco to 1?1/2 games in the National League West."