TORONTO — It would be tempting to say the Red Sox have a problem with Rick Porcello after watching his start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.

It would be more accurate to say that Porcello has a problem with the Blue Jays.

The righthander allowed seven runs over four-plus innings as the Sox took an 8-5 loss at Rogers Centre.

As they did on July 13 at Fenway Park, when they scored eight runs in two innings against him, the Jays hit Porcello like the ball was on a tee.

Porcello gave up six hits — two of them home runs — and walked three. It spoiled a night that saw Mookie Betts add to his Most Valuable Player candidacy by hitting for the cycle.

The Sox had a six-game win streak snapped with their second loss in 12 games. With the Yankees winning, their lead in the American League East was trimmed to eight games.

The Sox took two of three from the Jays. They continue their road trip in Baltimore on Friday night.

Porcello has faced the Blue Jays four times this season. In his first two starts, April 24 and May 29, he allowed five earned runs on eight hits and five walks and over 13⅔ innings.

In the last two, Porcello has allowed 15 earned runs on 13 hits — four of them home runs — and seven walks in six innings.

That indicates he is tipping his pitches and the Blue Jays know what’s coming. Sox manager Alex Cora suspects that is the case.

“We’ve got to take a look at that one,’’ Cora said. “That’s the second one in a row against them. Breaking ball, fastball, and changeups, they were on him.’’

Porcello wasn’t quite that direct, pointing out that his location was erratic. But the Jays were on the pitches he did throw for strikes.

“I don’t know what it is about their lineup. They do a nice job against me,’’ Porcello said. “They make me get in the strike zone, they draw some walks and they do damage. I’ve got to figure something out against these guys.

“I don’t know what it is. I really need to look at it, how I’m approaching them.’’

The Sox have a three-game series against the Jays at home in September.

“If [Porcello] pitches against them, then we’ve got to go about it differently,’’ Cora said.

Before Thursday night’s beating, Porcello had won his three previous starts, including a complete-game one-hitter against the Yankees last Friday.

But it was bad from the start on Thursday. Porcello, working with a 2-0 lead, walked Curtis Granderson and Devon Travis to start the bottom of the first. Justin Smoak followed with an RBI single. Travis then scored on a groundout.

Russell Martin walked to lead off the second inning and eventually scored on an error by Eduardo Nunez at third base.

Teoscar Hernandez, 1 for 9 in his career against Porcello, blasted a home run to right center in the third.

When the Sox tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the fifth inning, the Jays came back with three quick runs in the bottom half.

Travis singled and scored on a long double by Smoak. Randal Grichuck then homered to left field.

When Cora came out of the dugout to take Porcello out of the game, the righthander was walking off the mound before the manager got there.

“He takes a lot of pride going deep into games and when they doesn’t happen he takes it personal and I appreciate that,’’ Cora said.

Porcello (14-5) has a 4.17 earned run average — 3.37 outside of the last two starts against Toronto.

Toronto starter Ryan Borucki, a rookie righthander, allowed four runs on nine hits over five innings for the win.

Betts and Andrew Benintendi started the game with singles. Xander Bogaerts walked with two outs before Nunez singled to drive in two.

The team’s other MVP candidate, J.D. Martinez, hit his 35th home run in the fifth inning. Nunez then singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Brock Holt.

Porcello got another chance to make something of his start but Toronto took the lead right back.

With the Sox down, 8-4, in the ninth, Betts came to the plate needing a home run for the cycle and fouled off a 3-and-1 fastball from Ken Giles that was right over the plate.

“That was the time to try,’’ said Betts, who thought he had missed his shot.

But Giles left a slider up and Betts thumped it over the fence in left. He pumped his fist and pointed into the dugout on his way to first.

It was the first career cycle for Betts and the first for the Red Sox since Brock Holt on June 16, 2015. Before that it was John Valentin in 1996.

Betts is the first Sox player to hit for the cycle in a loss since Carl Yastrzemski in 1965.

Betts reached base all five times he came up. He singled in the first, tripled in the second, doubled in the fourth, drew a walk in the sixth, then homered.

“Good day, but tough loss. Sucks that I did it on a loss,’’ Betts said. “Turn the page and get ready for tomorrow.’’

Betts raised his batting average from .340 to .347. He has 27 homers, 59 RBIs, and 95 runs.

“You expect greatness from him every night,’’ Cora said. “That was cool to see.’’

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