Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and his fellow Royals are on the edge of playoff contention with roughly six weeks left in the Major League Baseball regular season.

Led by Witt, who was named American League (AL) Player of the Month for July, the Royals were 64-52 and in third place in the AL Central Division entering this weekend’s two-game interleague series with St. Louis at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals have won seven of their last 10 entering the series.

Kansas City started that 10-game stretch by winning six of seven on the road. The Royals started their road trip by sweeping the Chicago White Sox in a three-game AL Central series July 29-31 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Royals then took three of four from Detroit in an AL Central series Aug. 1-4 at Comerica Park. After winning the first two games, they lost the third one 6-5. They took the finale 3-2 Sunday. MJ Melendez helped secure Sunday’s victory with a two-out, three-run pinch-hit home run in the top of the ninth inning.

Returning home, Kansas City dropped two of three to Boston this week at Kauffman. The Red Sox, who also are in AL playoff contention, took the first two games – 9-5 Monday and 6-5 Tuesday. 

The Royals won the finale 8-4 Wednesday. Trailing 4-2, Kansas City took control by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Royals added an insurance run in the sixth.

Witt powered the Royals to the win, going 3-for-4, including two home runs, with four RBIs and three runs scored.