Andrew Cashner failed to help the Red Sox’s starting rotation, but he could become their desperate bullpen savior.

After posting a brutal 8.01 ERA over six starts since being acquired from the Orioles last month, Cashner was pulled from the rotation but earned his first career save Tuesday night in Boston’s 7-6, 10-inning win over the Indians. Cashner had a 3.83 ERA in 17 starts with Baltimore this season.

“My adrenaline hasn’t been that high in a while,” Cashner told reporters. “It reminded me of being back in college, closing games out. It was fun.”

Cashner came in after Brandon Workman blew the save in the ninth — and after another starter-turned-reliever made an unexpected appearance.

The Sox are so desperate to get back into the playoff hunt that their plans are changing seemingly by the inning. Nathan Eovaldi was supposed to go from the bullpen back into the rotation, scheduled for Wednesday’s start. Yet Alex Cora went to the right-hander Tuesday night to get the final two outs in the eighth inning, thrusting Brian Johnson into Wednesday’s starting assignment. Boston held a one-run lead at the time.

“I mean, we’re trying to stay away from him the whole time but I thought that inning was … I don’t want to sound dramatic or whatever but it was probably the biggest inning of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Cora told reporters. “So I decided, you know what, we’re all in now. Whatever happens tomorrow happens tomorrow.”

Eovaldi, who earned a four-year, $68 million deal after playing a critical role in Boston’s World Series run last year, had a rough start to the season before an injury sidelined him for two months. He came back as a reliever and hasn’t fared much better, allowing at least one run in five of his 10 relief appearances.

The Sox are 63-59 entering Wednesday, 8.5 games behind the Rays for the second wild-card spot and 17.5 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees.