Manny Machado on the close race in the AL East

For the Orioles, they have now played 74 percent of the 2016 regular season with 26 percent remaining. They've played 120 games with 42 to go.

For the last three days, they have not been in first place. But for 111 of the season's 138 days, they have been either tied for first or alone atop the American League East standings.

In the only close three-team race in baseball, the Orioles and Boston Red Sox are both 67-53 and 1 1/2 games back of the first-place Toronto Blue Jays at 69-52.

The Orioles have six games remaining with Toronto and seven with Boston. Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was asked how he feels about being in a division race that could go down the last game.

"Every game since day one is important," he said. "But it's getting down to the wire and people are talking, we'll have more media in the clubhouse and more people to talk to.

"We've been at this grind since February to be in this situation. Just trying to take it one day a time. But people are getting tired, bodies are lagging a little bit. We just have to stick together and pass the baton like Buck (Showalter) says and everyone in here says. If you can't do the job, pass it to the next guy. That has helped put us over the hump. We lose two, we come back the next day and try to play as a team. We know what we're capable of. Excited to finally be back at home and hopefully kick some more (butt)."

Of the remaining 42 games, the Orioles will play 22 at home where they are 40-19 (.678). For a team that has the second-best home record in the majors, is that going to prove to be big?

"I don't know," Machado said. "We play baseball, so wherever we play, we'll play and it doesn't matter where we're at. So we have to come to the clubhouse and get ready to play at seven o'clock. No matter if it is on the West Coast, Alaska, Canada or Europe. Wherever it is, we'll play and deal with adversity if we have to and stick together as a team."

The Orioles' largest lead atop the AL East this season was a 5 1/2-game edge on June 29 after a win at San Diego. The most they have been out of first place is three games and that was on May 31.