Cliff Lee is having a rough season, and it's hard to explain why.
Lee remained winless after he allowed six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings in the Philadelphia Phillies' 6-2 loss to the Miami Marlins on Friday night.
"It's more frustrating when I don't pitch well, obviously," Lee said. "As far as the wins and losses, that's out of my control. But I could do something about not getting through the fifth inning and giving up five runs — that's on me. I could do better than that, no doubt about that."
Lee is 0-5 overall, and 0-2 with a 7.30 ERA in his last four starts.
"I'm sure he's concerned, and why shouldn't he be?" Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I'm sure he's upset. Why shouldn't he be that?"
The Phillies and Lee, a 2008 Cy Young Award winner, contend there is nothing wrong with him physically.
"I feel fine," Lee said.
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While Lee continued his struggles, Marlins ace Josh Johnson (5-5) pitched six strong innings to help the Marlins win consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month.
Click here to read about how owner Jeffrey Loria is optimistic about the Fish's chances.
Johnson wrapped up June with a 2-2 record and 1.87 ERA in five starts.
"He's our ace for a reason," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said.
Johnson (5-5) allowed one run and four hits while striking out six. He threw 69 of 108 pitches for strikes.
"This month wasn't the best pitching-wise, but someone had to step up and try to help the bullpen out a little bit," Johnson said.
Justin Ruggiano tied a career high with three hits and drove in two runs for Miami, which last won consecutive games June 2-3 at Philadelphia. The Marlins were 4-17 since.
"I didn't think we had back-to-back wins since spring training," Guillen said. "It seems like we're coming around little by little."
Hunter Pence homered for the Phillies, who played for the first time at the new Marlins Park.
"(The stadium is) nice, real nice," said Phillies left fielder Juan Pierre, a former Marlin. "They did a real good job with it. The fans are in here and it's loud, that's for sure. Miami deserves to have a stadium."
It was Ruggiano's first three-hit game since June 12, 2011, at Baltimore while with Tampa Bay, and the third of his career.
"He rakes," Johnson said. "We were talking about it after his third hit, he never stops hitting."
Jose Reyes doubled to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the Marlins and scored on a groundout by Logan Morrison.
"When you jump up 1-0 with J.J. on the mound, it is a different ballgame," Guillen said.
The Marlins strung together four straight hits in the third including an RBI single by Giancarlo Stanton. Omar Infante's sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 3-0.
Pence cut the deficit to 3-1 with his 15th homer over the right-field fence.
Ruggiano's two-run double followed by John Buck's RBI single ended Lee's outing.
"Anytime you can get a couple runs extra on the board, it allows everyone to relax a little bit and take a breath," Ruggiano said.
Pence added an RBI single in the ninth.
NOTES: Ruggiano leads the Marlins with a .396 batting average (19 for 48) in June. ... Pence is batting .462 (12 for 26) with three home runs and seven RBI in seven games against the Marlins this season. ... Marlins RHP Edward Mujica took a grounder off his right foot in the seventh inning and will get an X-ray. ... Phillies 1B Ryan Howard (left Achilles) played in his first rehab game on Thursday with Single-A Lakewood and went 2 for 4 with three RBIs. ... Philadelphia will send LHP Cole Hamels (10-3, 3.03 ERA) to the mound on Saturday to face Marlins LHP Mark Buehrle (6-8, 3.55 ERA), who is 3-2 in five starts against the Phillies. Hamels is 6-9 in 21 starts against Miami.
