With the Marlins riding a season-high three game losing streak and leading hitter Josh Willingham lost for at least the next 10 games, manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to tinker with his lineup.
Gonzalez saw immediate results Friday night.
Florida's new-look produced a first inning run and Dan Uggla -- dropped to sixth in the lineup -- hit two home runs as Florida ended its losing ways with a 6-4 victory in front of 14,562 (not including 754 canines) at Dolphin Stadium.
''You don't get second-guessed,'' Gonzalez said of having success after changing the lineup. ``I think it's good for the club. We'll see how it goes. But ultimately it's good for the Marlins.''
Actors Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson were on hand, filming scenes for their upcoming motion picture Marley & Me. Unlike the other dogs on hand at the annual ''Bark at the Park'' promotion, the dog in the film was allowed in the lower bowl and given a green light to run around the outfield for the scenes.
''[Aniston] definitely looked a lot better than I did,'' said left fielder Luis Gonzalez, whose turf was where the second scene was filmed during the middle of the ninth. ``I didn't know [the scene] was happening then or I might have run out there a little quicker to help her catch the dog.
``I would have jumped in front of Owen Wilson, grabbed the dog and handed it to her. That would have made me a real hero, right? I should have screwed that whole scene up. What would they do, kick me off the field?''
Uggla says his approach in the batter's box isn't going to change now that he's batting lower in the order. Friday, Uggla put a pair of pitches over the left field wall -- one a blast into the club seats, the second one bouncing off the scoreboard and over.
''I've hit a lot of home runs and driven in a lot of runs the past two years hitting out of the two hole. I'm going to be the same hitter,'' Uggla said.
UGGLA MAKING IMPACT
The second baseman now has six homers this season, with three coming in the past four games. His second blast came with two outs in the sixth inning, bringing home Jeremy Hermida -- who replaced Uggla in the second slot -- and Mike Jacobs to give Florida a 5-1 lead.
Uggla also made some nice plays in the field, and was part of all three outs in the ninth. Uggla started a double play before fielding Tony Clark's shot for the final out of the night.
''It's good to get those Dodgers out of here, get a new team in,'' said Uggla, whose team was recently swept by Los Angeles.
Luis Gonzalez, batting seventh, followed Uggla's second shot with a homer of his own, uncorking a missile that landed beyond the right field wall.
The homer was Gonzalez's 349th of his 18-year career, moving him past George Foster on the all-time list. Gonzalez is now ranked 78th, one shy of Chili Davis for 77th. Gonzalez's home run also chased San Diego starter Justin Germano (0-3) from the game.
''It's an honor to do that because George Foster was one of my favorites, the Big Red Machine was one of my favorite teams,'' Gonzalez said.
``I just keep going out there and playing. I enjoy playing on this team because we have so many young, energetic guys. I'm sure once my career is over I'll sit back, drink a cold beer and think about it a little bit more.''
The run support was welcomed by starter Mark Hendrickson (5-1) who gave the Marlins a solid start and saved the bullpen by pitching seven strong innings. Hendrickson has gone at least six innings in his past three starts.
STRONG OUTING
Hendrickson, who only faced the Padres once last season while a member of the Dodgers, surrendered five hits and didn't give the Marlins cause for concern until Key West's Khalil Greene hit a two-run home run (his first of the season) with no outs in the seventh. Hendrickson retired the next three batters before the bullpen took over.
Relievers Taylor Tankersley and Kevin Gregg came in and finished things off, although Gregg had another adventure in the ninth.
Gregg, who lost games in the ninth on Tuesday and Thursday to the Dodgers, gave up a ground-rule double to Adrian Gonzalez to lead the inning off. Gonzalez scored on the double play to make it 6-4, and Gregg finished the Padres off for his fifth save of the season.
''I wasn't too happy with the last inning I had,'' said Hendrickson, ``but it was a good pitching duel for a while. Uggla came up huge for us. It's important to get some clutch pitching and get a couple-run lead. In the seventh, I knew to focus and concentrate to make pitches, but everything was middle of the plate. I knew it was time to come out. The first six, I was very happy with.''
