--After an off day, the Royals open a taxing 10-day, nine-game homestand Friday, all with division leaders or playoff contenders. The first three games are against the White Sox, while the Red Sox come to town Monday for three games. The homestand concludes with three games against the Twins.
--SS Mike Aviles went 8-for-14 in the three-game series at Oakland. --LHP Jimmy Gobble, who went on the disabled list July 22 with stiffness in his back, will make his first rehab appearance Saturday for Class AAA Omaha.
--LHP John Bale threw a flawless rehab inning, striking out one, Wednesday in his fifth rehab game with Class AAA Omaha. He threw eight pitches, seven for strikes. Bale has been on the disabled list since mid-April, first with a fatigued shoulder, then a fractured left hand.
--1B Kile Kaaihue hit a home run Wednesday for Omaha in his Class AAA debut. Kaaihue, 24, was promoted from Class AA Northwest Arkansas, where he led the Texas League with 26 home runs.
--The Royals have won five consecutive road games since a July 18 loss at the Chicago White Sox.
--The Royals swept a three-game road series at Oakland for the first time since June 14-16, 1988.
BY THE NUMBERS: 0.00 -- ERA of SS Tony Pena Jr., who threw a perfect inning in relief in a 19-4 loss to the Tigers on July 21.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He said he wanted to shave his head. I said I'll do it, let's have some fun with it. We cut him into a Hulk Hogan look and he left it like that through the pitcher's meeting. I tried not to laugh during the pitcher's meeting. He looked that silly. We shaved it (completely) right before game time and he went out and he got a good knock (home run). We're going to keep shaving it every fifth day." -- RHP and barber Gil Meche on shaving John Buck's head before July 24 victory over the Rays.
