The Cleveland Guardians started September by dropping back to the .500 mark.

A 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Labor Day gave Cleveland a 68-68 record.

The Guardians aren’t out of the playoff race, but they are running out of time to get in it.

STILL A ROOKIE

Cleveland starter Parker Messick was very hittable after two sparkling performances to start his big-league career.

He balked in the first inning to send Roman Anthony home with Boston’s first run. Romy Gonzalez followed with an RBI single.

The Guardians surged into the lead with three runs in the second inning.

With the bases loaded, CJ Kayfus singled to score Bo Naylor.

Brayan Rocchio added a single to score Nolan Jones and George Valera, who made his major-league debut.

FINISH THE STORY

Trevor Story tied the game 3-3 with an RBI single in the third inning. Messick was unable to finish four innings after giving up nine hits.

Boston took the lead in the fifth when Carlos Narvaez hit a two-run single off Erik Sabrowski (0-1).

Story added an insurance run with a solo homer in the sixth off Jakob Junis. The homer only traveled 306 feet, bouncing off Jhonkensy Noel’s glove and hitting the right-field foul pole.

That’s called the “Pesky Pole” in Boston because light-hitting shortstop Johnny Pesky used to hit his homers down the right-field line at Fenway.

Kyle Manzardo pulled Cleveland within 6-4 with a solo homer in the eighth. His 24th dinger of the year traveled 418 feet.

LET’S TRY AGAIN

Game 2 of the series is set for tonight at 6:45.

Cleveland has an uphill battle, facing Boston ace Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.40 ERA). Slade Cecconi (5-6, 4.41) will start for the Guardians.