The Phillies have scored two runs or less in five of their last six games.

So, upon arrival to Chase Field in Phoenix, it's a little surprising that Hunter Pence is out of the lineup for the first time this year. Less than 48 hours ago, manager Charlie Manuel referred to Pence as the only true run producer at his disposal with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard on the DL.

"When you look, we have Hunter Pence, he’s the guy who actually has stats," Manuel said Saturday night. "We don’t have nobody that has a lot of stats as far as run production. We’re starting to get up into same games now, this was our 15^th game, yeah we need that."

But following the Phillies 6-1 loss to the Padres a day later, Pence is mired in an 0-for-15 funk. He has one extra-base hit in his last 10 games.

“I have to get better than what I’m doing right now. I know that. And I will,” Pence said Sunday. “These last three games I’ve had no hits. I’ve done a whole bunch of hurting the team. But there are going to be stretches where that goes on and you have to pick each other up. And we will.”

And so, Pence sits.

The Phillies lineup for tonight's 9:40 p.m. EST start vs. the D-backs:

1. Juan Pierre, LF

2. Placido Polanco, 3B

3. Jimmy Rollins, SS

4. Ty Wigginton, 1B

5. Shane Victorino, CF

6. Carlos Ruiz, C

7. John Mayberry Jr., LF

8. Freddy Galvis, 2B

9. Kyle Kendrick, P