Chiefs' Souza ties career high with four hits

Nationals outfield prospect Steven Souza has recorded hits in bunches this year. His offensive output helped get him elected to the Triple-A All-Star Game earlier this month and he is showing no signs of slowing as the first half of the season winds down.

The No. 14 Nationals prospect went 4-for-5 with a career-high three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs' 11-6 win over the Charlotte Knights on Thursday.

Souza tied his personal best with his seventh four-hit game in the Minors, the most recent of which came in Harrisburg's 6-3 win over Altoona last Aug. 27.

It was his 28th multi-hit game in 71 Triple-A contests. He has been held hitless in 14 games and he has failed to reach base just five times this year.

The 25-year-old right-hander singled home a run with a fourth-inning single to right field and doubled to left to lead off the sixth. Elected to the International League team by a vote between field managers and general managers, media members and online fan voting, Souza then ripped an RBI double to left in the seventh before adding another two-bagger to begin the ninth.

The outing raised the center fielder's average to .374, the best mark across all full-season leagues. St. Lucie's Jairo Perez ranks second with a .358. Only Stockton's Boog Powell (.453) has a higher on-base percentage than Souza (.451).

Selected by the Nationals in the third round of the 2007 Draft, Souza made his Major League debut and played eight games with the Nationals earlier this year.

Syracuse right fielder Destin Hood smacked a solo homer in the win.

The top three batters in Charlotte's lineup -- Marcus Semien, Carlos Sanchez and Josh Phegley -- collected three hits apiece while outfielders Matt Tuiasosopo and Blake Tekotte smacked homers in the loss.