Chris Volstad was in the showers, trying to scrub away a nightmare, before a healthy number of Friday's spectators at Land Shark Stadium were in their seats. That's how rapidly the last-place San Diego Padres -- the poorest hitting and scoring club in the majors -- dispensed of the Marlins pitcher.

Volstad failed to last the second inning.

And he didn't last the night, either.

The Marlins demoted the struggling pitcher to Triple A New Orleans following Friday's 9-5 loss to the Padres.

``He needs to go down there and maybe clear his head a little bit,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ``We always talk about mound presence with him, and composure, and we haven't seen that.''

The Marlins, who are in the outer fringe of contention, failed for the second consecutive day to defeat an inferior team. On Thursday, it was the sinking New York Mets. On Friday, it was the already-buried Padres, who jumped out early and held on for the victory.

The Marlins swept the Padres in San Diego last month.

But they were really never in it Friday.

Volstad gave up six runs in a disastrous second inning that he was unable to complete. It was yet one more short outing for Volstad in a troubling run of them for the Marlins. Volstad has been unable to provide even five innings of work in four of his past five starts.

``This decision wasn't just made [Friday],'' Gonzalez said. ``You've got to look back at the last couple of starts.''

Friday's quickie was the briefest outing of Volstad's career, and fatigue shouldn't be a factor. The 22-year-old pitcher has not piled up as many innings this season as he did last year.

``I wasn't doing my job,'' Volstad said. ``I haven't been doing it for a couple of weeks, I guess. It's been a little bit of everything -- bad pitches, trying to do too much.''

He has been far more susceptible to the long ball.

When Kyle Blanks hit a two-run home run to center, it was the 27th home run allowed this season by Volstad, who gave up a mere three in half a season last year. Only two pitchers in the majors have given up more home runs than Volstad.

Volstad has been ineffective this month (a 1-2 record and 21 earned runs in 19 2/3 innings). The Marlins are hoping to acquire Brad Penny, who was released on Thursday by the Boston Red Sox, Even if that bid is unsuccessful, they could always turn to standbys, Rick VandenHurk or Andrew Miller, to replace Volstad in the rotation. Along with Volstad, infielder Gaby Sanchez was also optioned to New Orleans after the game.

The Marlins plan to call up two pitchers on Saturday to help relieve a fatigued bullpen..

``It's hard to cover 14 or 15 innings out of your bullpen,'' Gonzalez said of the past two days, in which the bullpen has had to throw 12 2/3 innings. ``It's not even hard. It's almost impossible.''

After going 1-2-3 in the first, Volstad came apart almost instantly in the second, giving up a leadoff double to Kevin Kouzmanoff, RBI single to Will Venable, and home run to Blanks.

The Padres had scored twice more before the struggling pitcher walked back-to-back batters to load the bases. That's when Gonzalez decided he had seen enough, bringing in Brian Sanches to begin a long night for the bullpen.

The pen also put in a long day on Thursday when the Mets knocked out Anibal Sanchez with two outs in the fourth.

Volstad was not without his accomplices.

With the Marlins down 7-1 and runners at first and second with no outs in the fourth, third-base coach Bo Porter inexplicably waved home Jorge Cantu, who was starting from first, on John Baker's double to left. Cantu, who is an average runner at best, was thrown out easily. One run scored on the play, but a potential big inning was ruined.

But, instead of having runners at second and third with no outs, the Marlins were left with Baker at second and one out. And what would have been a 2-run single by Cody Ross two batters later scored only Baker.

Third baseman Wes Helms was charged with an error in the fifth that ended up costing the Marlins a run - a run that brought Sanches' run of scoreless innings at home to an end. Sanches had thrown 25 2/3 scoreless innings at Land Shark, the third longest such streak by a Marlins pitcher.

Helms did, however, drive in two of the Marlins' runs.

The Marlins threatened to make it a game in the seventh. After Helms drove in a run to make it 9-4, the Marlins loaded the bases.

But pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino grounded into an inning-ending fielder's choice, with Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera stretching to take the throw from first baseman Adrian Gonzalez but managing to keep his foot on the bag at second for the force.