SAN FRANCISCO -- The Padres reinforced one of baseball¡¯s eternal truths Wednesday night, and not in a way they would have preferred.

They demonstrated the thin margin between success and failure by committing three errors, which benefited San Francisco¡¯s offense in its 4-2 decision over the Padres. The Giants swept the two-game mini-series while extending San Diego¡¯s losing streak to four games. On a larger scale, the Padres have dropped 11 of their last 16 games to fall from second place in the National League West.

The Padres mounted a serious ninth-inning threat against Giants closer Will Smith, loading the bases with two outs. But Smith coaxed Manuel Margot¡¯s harmless popup to record his 16th save in as many opportunities.

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Earlier, the Padres helped the Giants inch ahead. With San Diego clinging to a 2-1 lead in the fifth, Steven Duggar reached second base on an infield hit combined with shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.¡¯s accompanying throwing error. Duggar scored on a single by Donovan Solano, who advanced to third base on left fielder Josh Naylor¡¯s throwing error. Solano came home on Evan Longoria¡¯s infield single.

Another Padres mistake helped the Giants add a seventh-inning run. Reliever Robbie Erlin fielded Duggar¡¯s weak grounder and uncorked a high, wide throw past first base. Duggar reached second base on the play and scored on Solano¡¯s double.

Padres manager Andy Green defended Tatis and Naylor, calling the rookies ¡°young kids who are both really talented baseball players.¡± Green categorized the errors as ¡°good effort plays where we just came up short and tried to do a little bit too much.¡±

Green said that Tatis, a leading Rookie of the Year candidate, ¡°is going to make some really special plays. You have to look at his drive to try something nobody else can do.¡±

The correct course to take against Duggar, Green pointed out, would have been inaction.

¡°Duggar can run down the line. There¡¯s no real throw there,¡± Green said. ¡°Even if he makes a perfect throw, he¡¯s safe. So I think he¡¯ll learn from that. He¡¯s a smart guy.¡±

Green pointed out that Naylor remains relatively inexperienced in the outfield after spending his first four professional seasons (2015-18) playing primarily first base.

¡°He¡¯s short on time in the outfield,¡± Green said. ¡°He¡¯s going to continue to grow out there.¡±

San Diego¡¯s offense could benefit from some growth. Manny Machado is batting .195 (17-for-87) with one home run and10 RBIs in his last 25 games. Wil Myers is hitting .219 and his 84 strikeouts are the third-most in the National League. After watching starter Joey Lucchesi pitch six strong innings, Green insisted that the offense ¡°[had] to do more offensively tonight ... to help him.¡±

Performing before a group of relatives and friends from nearby Newark, Lucchesi tried to help himself by collecting his first hit of the season, a second-inning single. It was part of an encouraging night for Lucchesi (5-4), though he absorbed the decision. He felt so good physically that he thought Green would leave him in for the seventh inning.

¡°I was ready to go,¡± Lucchesi said.