(Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins opened their lengthy nine-game homestand on a bad note, suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tonight they will try to regroup with the first of three consecutive contests versus the San Diego Padres at Dolphin Stadium.

The Marlins are just 3-6 over the last nine games and failed in their quest to salvage the finale of the Dodger series on Thursday afternoon. Cody Ross belted a two-run homer in the 5-3 loss for the Marlins, whose three-game losing streak is a season high.

Florida is now tied with the Mets at a game-half game behind Philadelphia for the top spot in the NL East.

Starter Burke Badenhop lasted six innings for Florida, yielding three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Marlins reliever Kevin Gregg absorbed the loss by allowing two runs in the ninth inning.

Florida will also host Milwaukee for three games on this homestand.

Mark Hendrickson has been a pleasant surprise for Marlins manager Freddie Gonzalez this season, pitching to a 4-1 mark with a 3.68 earned run average in six starts. Hendrickson, who will take the mound tonight, had won four straight outings before recording a no decision at Milwaukee on Saturday. He gave up three runs -- two earned -- on five hits in six innings of work.

The lanky lefty, who is 2-1 in three home starts in 2008, owns a 1-2 record with a 1.83 earned run average in nine career appearances -- four of which have been starts -- against the Padres.

San Diego has lost three of four and 12 of its last 15 games, including Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the finale of a three-game set from Citizens Bank Park. Relief pitcher Joe Thatcher took the loss after giving up a solo homer to Ryan Howard in the eighth inning, the only hit he allowed in 1 1/3 innings of work.

Adrian Gonzalez's two-run homer in the first inning provided the offense for the Padres, while starter and former Phillie Randy Wolf did not factor in the outcome of the game. Wolf, who left Philly in 2006 after eight solid seasons, surrendered a pair of runs and six hits while fanning six in six innings.

The Padres, who are last in the NL West standings, will also visit Atlanta for three games on their current nine-game trek against NL East foes.

San Diego starter Justin Germano is still looking for his first win of the 2008 season and is 0-2 with a 6.04 earned run average in five starts this season. Germano will take the hill tonight and last pitched on Saturday against Arizona, recording a no decision in an 8-7 win. He yielded six runs and six hits in five innings of work.

The right-hander has never taken the mound against Florida.

The Padres went 4-3 against the Marlins last season, with a 2-1 mark as the guest. They are 11-8 in the last 19 matchups in this series.