Dustin McGowan, bullpen pounded in Blue Jays 15-4 loss to Indians

TORONTO – Dustin McGowan’s struggles at home continued and the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen offered him no support in a 15-4 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

The Toronto right-handed pitcher was touched-up for four runs in four-plus innings, including a two-run home run by Carlos Santana as the Blue Jays (20-21) had a modest two-game win streak snapped.

McGowan and the Toronto bullpen were getting pounded so badly that manager John Gibbons brought in utility infielder Steve Tolleson to get the final out of the Indians’ six-run ninth inning.

David Murphy was 5 for 6 with five runs batted in and Lonnie Chisenhall was 5 for 6 with an RBI as Cleveland (19-21) had 22 hits off for five different Toronto pitchers before 14,068 fans at Rogers Centre.

Former Blue Jay Yan Gomes had a three-run homer in the Cleveland onslaught.

McGowan (2-2), making his eighth start of the season, gave up a run in each of the second and fourth innings before being chased by three straight hits, including Santana’s two-run blast, in the fifth.

McGowan is now 0-2 with 16 earned runs in 15-2/3 innings and 9.1 earned-run-average over four starts at the Rogers Centre this season.

On the road, he’s 2-0 with six earned runs in 23-1/3 innings and a sparkling 2.31 ERA in four starts.

McGowan was not the only Toronto pitcher to struggle on the night.

With the Blue Jays having clawed back to 4-2 on the strength of RBI doubles from Brett Lawrie in the fifth and Jose Bautista in the sixth, rookie Marcus Stroman came in and was pounded, giving up five hits and five runs in 1-1/3 innings to push his ERA to 12.79 as the Indians turned the game into a laugher.

Neil Wagner, called up earlier in the day from AAA Buffalo, gave up six runs on six hits in 1-1/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Cleveland starter Corey Kluber (4-3) had a solid outing.

The right-hander retired the first 13 Blue Jays he faced and finished the night yielding two runs, four hits and a walk while striking out nine.

Notes: The Blue Jays close out a nine-game home stand on Thursday night as Cleveland RHP Danny Salazar (1-3) faces Toronto LHP J.A. Happ (1-1) at 7:07 p.m. … Before Wednesday’s game, the Blue Jays recalled C Erik Kratz and RHP Neil Wagner from AAA Buffalo, placing C Dioner Navarro on bereavement leave and optioned RHP Chad Jenkins to Buffalo. … Going into Wednesday’s game, the Blue Jays led the American League with 53 home runs and 132 extra-base hits, second in the Majors to Colorado’s 57 home runs and 163 extra-base hits.