--The Royals have scored three or fewer runs in six of their past 11 games, 10 of them losses.

--OF David DeJesus drove in his 59th run, a career high, with a fifth-inning single. He had 58 RBIs last season.

--LHP Jimmy Gobble, who went on the disabled list with a sore back, picked up a victory in relief Wednesday while rehabbing with Class AAA Omaha. In the 4-2 win over New Orleans, Gobble worked two innings, allowed one run on two hits, including a home run, while striking out one and walking none. Gobble is 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in his rehab assignment with Omaha.

BY THE NUMBERS: 24 to 3 -- Royals were out-homered by that margin in the past 12 games, through Aug. 24.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We had some bad luck no doubt. But sometimes you've got to make your own breaks and we haven't made our own breaks because we haven't put the three categories consistently together enough with our pitching, our offense and our defense." -- Manager Trey Hillman.