Chris Davis: "We know how big this series is"

For the Orioles, the math is pretty simple. They trail first-place Boston by three games heading into a four-game series starting tonight. The O's must win three or more games the next four days or they will fail to gain any ground.

But as the series is set to begin tonight, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis said the players can't put pressure on themselves by thinking they have to win three of four. They have to instead focus on what is right in front of them.

"I think you've got to stay one game at a time," Davis said. "If you start putting a number on how many games you are trying to win or try to win the series or whatever, you are going to end up beating yourself. The biggest thing for us is taking it one game at a time right now.

"You take it a game at a time, one pitch at a time. Obviously, we just got through playing these guys. It's better that we're at home this time. But we know how big this series is. This time of year, this is what you play for, these type of games. You just have to take it one pitch at a time."

The Orioles have won four of six, six of nine and 10 of 16 games and are 82-67. They hold the first American League wild-card by one game over Toronto. The Red Sox are 85-64 and have won nine of 12 games. They are 42-27 (.609) since July 3. Since the All-Star break, Boston has MLB's best road record at 20-14 (.588). Overall, the Red Sox' .549 winning percentage (39-32) on the road leads the AL.

"The biggest thing for us is just to keep our focus. If we win games, it doesn't matter what anyone else does. We kind of control our own destiny. That is really all we can control," Davis said.

Since 2012, the Orioles have a .600 win percentage (54-36) against Boston and they lead the season series 8-7 this year. The competition has been strong when they face each other, to stay the least.

"It brings the best out of us," Davis said. "There is no doubt they are playing good baseball right now. They've got a good mix of some young guys sprinkled in with a veteran team that has done everything they had to do to stay in first. We are going to have our work cut out for us, but I think we are up to the challenge."

Will the Orioles be up for the challenge of facing 20-game winner Rick Porcello (20-4, 3.12 ERA)? They beat him last Wednesday in Boston, but that was more about Kevin Gausman's outing, as the O's scored just one run off Porcello in eight innings. Over his last 10 starts, Porcello is 7-2 with a 2.38 ERA.

Is he a different pitcher, Davis was asked, than he was earlier in his career?

"Yes, he is different," he said. "I think he has matured a lot as a pitcher. The last time we faced him, I felt like he just had a lot more trust in his stuff. He wasn't trying to strike everyone out or dominate the game - he just pitched. And that is really what I've seen him do all year. He is having a great year. It is exciting as an offense to face a guy like that. That's a challenge we welcome."