Bonifacio notches first five-hit night

Hits haven't come that often for Jorge Bonifacio in August, but when they have, they've been in bunches.

Kansas City's No. 7 prospect racked up the first five-hit night of his career, ripping four singles and a triple while stealing two bases, as Double-A Northwest Arkansas fell in 12 innings to Springfield, 8-5, on Thursday night.

After going 4-for-6 in an Aug. 17 extra-inning loss at San Antonio, Bonifacio went hitless in nine at-bats over his subsequent two games. But on Thursday, he got back in a groove in his first trip to the plate, singling with two outs in the second inning. Unfortunately he was caught stealing second by Cardinals catcher Travis Tartamella.

Bonifacio singled again two frames later, notching an RBI by driving in Orlando Calixte. He successfully stole second this time (his sixth of the season) and later crossed the plate on Justin Trapp's single. The right fielder tripled to lead off the sixth -- his first since July 13 -- but was stranded at third. He added leadoff singles in the eighth and 10th.

With nine hits over his past four games, Bonifacio has lifted his August average to .239 through 17 games. The younger brother of Atlanta Braves second baseman Emilio, Jorge had just seven hits this month -- all singles -- until Monday's four-hit performance.

After the Naturals surrendered the lead in the top of the seventh, Mark Threlkeld smacked a two-run homer that scored Bonifacio in the eighth to get the lead back. But the Cardinals rallied in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Although Bonifacio stole another base in the 10th, he was left stranded, and Jonathan Rodriguez put Springfield into the win column with a three-run homer in the 12th.

Northwest Arkansas' Tripp Davis (0-1) took the loss after being tagged with three runs on three hits in two innings.