BOSTON -- By the time the Red Sox wrapped up the series finale against the Angels in 10 innings, Andrew Cashner's abbreviated start was hours in the past.

Sunday’s game, which ended in a Red Sox 5-4 loss at Fenway Park, was a contrast of on-point pitching and struggles on the mound.

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Cashner was chased in the second inning with the bases loaded after giving up three runs. He issued five walks (tying a season-high), allowed three hits and struck out one over 51 pitches in 1 2/3 innings. He described the start as “tough,” and said he didn’t have command of his fastball. Cashner, who last earned a win on July 26 against the Yankees, is 1-4 since being traded from the Orioles last month.

“I never give any excuse for not being good,” Cashner said. “I just am not executing. … I had a good bullpen this past week, and it didn’t translate today. I think my stuff’s really good. I’m just not getting ahead and not making pitches when I need to.”

That could have been the end of the story for the Red Sox on Sunday. Instead, the early combination of relievers Josh Taylor and Marcus Walden clamped down on the Angels’ order and gave the Red Sox a chance to get back in the game.

Taylor inherited the two-out, bases loaded jam from Cashner, but responded by getting Kole Calhoun to ground out to end the inning. From there, the left-hander retired the next six batters, including a career-best five strikeouts (one against Mike Trout) over a career-high 2 1/3 scoreless frames. Taylor, who pitched a clean ninth inning on Friday, recorded his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance.

“J.T. probably had his best fastball today and the best combination of pitches, fastball-slider,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “At [that] point, we felt we were going to win the game. The way he threw the ball gave us a chance.”

The Red Sox turned to the reliable Walden for the fourth. The righty entered the game without having allowed a hit to the last 26 batters he faced and extended the streak to 30. Since the All-Star break, he has held opponents to an .048 batting average.

As Taylor and Walden did damage control, the Red Sox put in work at the plate. They scored their first run in the second when Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval issued three walks in the frame, including one to Jackie Bradley Jr. that forced home Andrew Benintendi.

Christian Vazquez tied things up with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. By then, the Red Sox were looking at a whole different ball game than when Cashner exited. In the bottom of the fifth, Boston took the lead when Rafael Devers came home on a bases-loaded passed ball.

Nathan Eovaldi gave the Red Sox one scoreless inning in the sixth, after he had allowed a run in his last three relief appearances. The stage was set for Matt Barnes, who maintained the one-run lead in the seventh. But Barnes allowed the tying run when Calhoun sent a shot over the Green Monster and out of the park to lead off the eighth. After throwing a scoreless July, he has surrendered six runs in his last three outings.

“It was a 2-1 fastball that was down the middle of the plate,” Barnes said. “I was trying to go up and in on him.

Brandon Workman came in with one out in the eighth to get out of the inning and did so, completing 1 1/3 frames without allowing a run. He threw his seventh consecutive scoreless outing to give the Red Sox an opportunity in extra innings.

Ryan Weber, one of three arms available in the bullpen when extras began, allowed the game-winning single to Angels catcher Anthony Bemboom.

Cora said the Red Sox will address the pitching rotation on Monday when the team is in Cleveland for a three-game series against the Indians. The Red Sox have limited options with starter David Price on the 10-day injured list because of a cyst on his left wrist. Following Sunday’s loss and series split with the Angels, the Red Sox are 7 1/2 games behind the Indians and Twins, who are deadlocked for first place in both the American League Wild Card and AL Central standings.

“We’ve been inconsistent,” Cora said. “It’s tough to make the playoffs [when you’re inconsistent].”