--SS Hanley Ramirez struck out three times and walked once in four plate appearances Tuesday. His batting average fell to .304, the lowest it has been since he was hitting .200 on April 1 after the season's second game.

Ramirez is 1-for-15 with 10 strikeouts in the first four games of the homestand. But he isn't the only Marlin struggling.

--LF Josh Willingham, out since April 28 with a lower back strain, flew to Los Angeles on Sunday for an examination by Dr. Robert Watkins, a back specialist.

Willingham said Watkins confirmed an earlier diagnosis of a herniated disk and recommended continued rest. There are no plans for Willingham to resume baseball activity, but the outfielder, who is shooting for an early June return, said his back has felt better over the past four days.

--RHP Lee Gardner, on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation since April 18, said he hopes to start throwing off a mound by late next weekend. If that happens, he said he should be in position to re-join the team by mid-June.

--RHP Josh Johnson threw 51 pitches in a simulated game. Johnson, who's recovering from reconstructive elbow ligament surgery, hopes to join the Marlins in September.

BY THE NUMBERS: 212 -- Games (through May 11) the Marlins had played without a starter throwing a complete game. LHP Scott Olsen came within one strike of going all the way Tuesday against the Brewers before he walked Joe Dillon with two on and two out in the ninth. Florida won 3-0 after Kevin Gregg threw one pitch to get Bill Hall on a fly out.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It means they're going to have a really, really, really good player for a long time."-- 2B Dan Uggla on SS Hanley Ramirez, who is close to signing a six-year $70-milion extension.