KANSAS CITY -- Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis stood at his locker after Saturday night’s 9-1 victory over the Royals wearing a shirt that read, “I believe that we will win 2019.”

A statement that may have sounded preposterous entering play on June 4 is now something within the realm of possibility, as the Tribe has shaved 10 1/2 games off the Twins’ lead in the American League Central race. With Minnesota’s 5-1 loss to the White Sox on Saturday, the Indians, who have won the first three in this four-game set at Kauffman Stadium, moved to just one game back in the standings.

“We’re a dangerous team right now and we know that,” said outfielder Oscar Mercado, who went 4-for-5 with an RBI in the win.

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The Tribe has won 18 of its last 22 games, scoring 128 runs in that span (5.82 runs per game). The club also holds a four-game lead in the AL Wild Card chase. It’s still only July, and with 10 games remaining against the Twins, the Indians are nowhere near being ready to settle for a Wild Card spot.

“This team has been circling those games,” Kipnis said. “This team has had one focus and one focus only the last two months, and that’s been chasing down these Twins, and we did it even faster than maybe we might have thought.”

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The Indians have made an impressive run since June 4, posting the best record in the Majors (33-12) in that span. However the club’s stretch of playing teams with a sub-.500 records is coming to its end, but that doesn’t bother Kipnis.

“A lot of people are going to get going toward our schedule and we’re doing this against K.C. or Detroit or the White Sox without good, winning records,” Kipnis said. “But those are the same teams the Twins are playing. We’ve won series against the Yankees, Boston and the Twins themselves. It’s not like we’re just not beating anyone that’s good.

“We’re just trying to win the game that’s in front of us. Even when you play teams with bad records, there’s slip-ups, there’s mistakes. There’s stuff that happens. We’re just coming to play every day and it’s just not letting that happen. Even when you’re playing the lower-record teams, to win this many games, and to win the games you’re supposed to, this often, is a real tip of the cap to this clubhouse.”

Cleveland has one game remaining against Kansas City on Sunday before the first-place Astros roll into Progressive Field on Tuesday. While the competition may get harder, the Tribe’s veteran bats may be heating up at just the right time.

Saturday’s victory was fueled by power from seasoned bats, as Kipnis opened the night with his third career grand slam, while Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez followed with homers in the second and fifth innings. Lindor has hit .432 over his nine-game hitting streak and Ramirez has hit .348 with eight homers and 24 RBIs in 21 games since the start of July after struggling through the first half of the season.

“I mean that’s Jose and it’s good to see,” said Indians starter Mike Clevinger, who went seven strong innings for the victory. “I feel like everybody’s been on the edge of their seat waiting on him to come back. And some people started to doubt whether it was and now it’s here, and there’s no better timing than now, for sure.”

“They’re fun to watch,” Kipnis said of Lindor and Ramirez. “They both give you good at-bats. They’re both capable of doing anything on this baseball field. When they’re going well, they’re two of the better players, complete players in this entire league. I’m happy they’re on our team.”

When a right-hander is on the mound, manager Terry Francona has been plugging Kipnis in as the cleanup hitter, which has drawn a lot of attention to the club’s need for a power bat in the middle of the lineup as the Trade Deadline approaches on Wednesday. Although he may not be the traditional four-hole slugger, Kipnis has hit .302 over his last 17 games with 10 RBIs, and he’s enjoyed feeling like a “big power four hitter,” recording the Tribe’s first grand slam of the season.

“I don’t claim to be a four hitter,” Kipnis said. “I’m well aware that’s just how the lineup has dictated itself with the personnel we have here. That’s just how we’re trying to do it. I know I’m not your ideal four hitter. Even I’d rather have someone in there with a little more thump. But when you get good at-bats up and down the lineup it almost doesn’t matter. You just put people where you can and if it’s working and we’re scoring runs, you don’t try to mix it up.”