By Mark Lewis

LocalSportsJournal.com

Whitehall native and former Pittsburgh Pirate all-star Nate McLouth was honored this week with an International League Player of the Week award

McLouth, who now plays for the Norfolk Tide, had an outstanding week, blasting five home runs, driving in five RBI, scoring nine runs and finishing with a 1.040 slugging percentage. Seven of his eight hits for the week went for extra bases, beginning last Monday with a game winning walk-off homer that sparked the Tides to a five-game win streak.

All the more surprising, McLouth was batting just .205 before his remarkable hitting display.

McLouth, 30, has struggled since earning a trip to the 2008 MLB All-Star game. Traded to the Atlanta Braves in 2010, he subsequently refused a minor league assignment from the squad after making the Braves’ roster in parts of two different seasons. Earlier this season, McLouth resigned with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was again sent in May to the minor leagues after going .140 at the plate.

In early June, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles organization.