--OF David DeJesus is hitting .402 (35-for-87) with runners in scoring position. Only Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler, .413, has a higher average with RISP in the American League.

--The Royals have extended their working agreement with their Class AAA Omaha club for two years, through the 2010 season. The Kansas City-Omaha relationship dates to 1969, the inaugural season for both clubs. It is the second-longest affiliation for a Class AAA club. Only the Atlanta Braves association with Richmond, which dates to 1966, is longer, although that relationship will end next year when the Braves move their top minor league club to Gwinnett County, Ga.

--"I just didn't catch it. It should have been caught, and you don't get a lot of practice at it. It should have stuck in the glove and it didn't. It's kind of unexpected." -- RHP Brian Bannister on dropping Joaquin Arias' soft popup Wednesday with two outs in the seventh inning to let in the winning run.

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.