TORONTO — Red Sox righthander Steven Wright waited nine days to make his first start of the season, which is often how it works for the fifth man in a five-man rotation.

When Wright finally took the mound on Sunday, the Toronto Blue Jays scored two runs in a span of four batters, taking advantage of a rare throwing error by second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

“Right away, they were on me,’’ Wright said.

The knuckleballer stepped off the mound, took a deep breath, then gave the Red Sox their best start of the season. Against a fearsome lineup, Wright worked into the seventh inning and allowed one earned run.

It wasn’t enough. Toronto righthander Marco Estrada was better as the Blue Jays beat the Red Sox, 3-0.

Estrada, who had back pain in spring training, came off the disabled list to make the start. He allowed five hits over seven innings and struck out eight with two walks as the Blue Jays snapped a four-game losing streak before a crowd of 46,158.

“It’s early in the season, but we needed that game,’’ Toronto manager John Gibbons said.

Wright threw 118 pitches over 6? innings and gave up six hits with three walks and five strikeouts. It was the longest start for a Red Sox pitcher this season.

“The first couple of innings I was definitely a little antsy,’’ Wright said. “I was able to find the rhythm and keeping it over the plate helps. They’re a very aggressive team, but you have to throw strikes. I was very pleased with my ability to keep it in the zone.’’

For the fourth consecutive game, the opposition scored against the Red Sox in the first inning. For the third time, it was multiple runs. That’s a trend they need to fix.

Kevin Pillar and Josh Donaldson started the inning with singles before Jose Bautista drew a walk. Edwin Encarnacion then grounded to shortstop for what should have been a double play.

Xander Bogaerts appeared to have time to step on second and throw to first, but with Bautista running hard, Bogaerts flipped to Pedroia. The throw to first sailed over the head of Hanley Ramirez and Donaldson also scored.

Sox manager John Farrell thought Bogaerts was right to flip the ball to Pedroia. But Pedroia saw Bogaerts initially start to run at the bag and wasn’t expecting the throw.

“My feet weren’t in the right spot. My fault,’’ Pedroia said. “I made a bad throw. It happens sometimes.’’

Red Sox starters have given up nine runs in the first inning of the last four games, all but one earned.

Wright did not allow another run, mixing in occasional mid-80s fastballs to keep the Toronto hitters from timing his knuckler. Donaldson homered to left field off Noe Ramirez in the eighth inning.

The Red Sox missed on several early opportunities against Estrada.

Ramirez (3 for 4, now hitting .455) doubled with one out in the second inning before Travis Shaw drew a walk. But Chris Young struck out and Blake Swihart popped to shortstop.

With two outs in the third inning and Pedroia on first, Bogaerts lined a double down the line in right field. Pedroia was sent to the plate by third base coach Brian Butterfield but was thrown out on a close play.

The Blue Jays were perfect in their execution, Bautista hitting the cutoff man and Ryan Goins throwing a strike to the plate.

“Huge play,’’ Estrada said. “It pumped me up.’’

Said Pedroia: “They put every throw on the money. I was running as fast as I can. They just executed.’’

The Sox, who scored 28 runs in the first four games, did not advance a runner into scoring position against Estrada after the third inning.

“Lots of strikes, first and foremost. A well above-average changeup,’’ Farrell said of Estrada. “You’d almost sit on the changeup and it wouldn’t get to home plate . . . He pitched a heck of a game against us. We’ve been swinging the bat well here and throughout this road trip and he shut us down.’’

Drew Storen and Roberto Osuna finished the Sox in the final two innings. Pedroia singled in the eighth inning but Bogaerts grounded into a double play. Ramirez singled in the ninth before Shaw and pinch hitter Pablo Sandoval struck out.

One issue for the Sox, surprisingly, is leadoff hitter Mookie Betts. He was 0 for 4 and is now 1 for 18 since Opening Day with seven strikeouts and one run scored.

“Getting pitched to,’’ Farrell said. “They’re not sitting on any one side of the plate or any consistent pattern. I can’t say he’s overexpanding [the strike zone].’’

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.