MLB

IAN STRUGGLES IN TRIPLE-A START

Though it won’t count in his statistics, Ian Kennedy hit a speed bump on his path back to the majors Thursday night.

Kennedy allowed one run on two hits (a double and homer) with two walks and no strikeouts in two innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre against Lehigh Valley before the game was postponed because of rain.

“He wasn’t very good,” said a scout who saw the game. “His velocity was 87-90, and his fastball was straight. He didn’t have good command, and his curve was loopy and it hung a lot, but he had a plus change.”

After the Yankees took Kennedy off the disabled list on June 24, he was optioned to Single-A Tampa. After throwing five scoreless innings against Palm Beach on June 28, Kennedy was promoted to SWB. But following his performance last night, the scout felt it would take at least a few more starts before he was ready to head back to The Bronx.

“To me it didn’t look like a rehab start, and (then) you’ll put him back,” the scout said. “He’s got to work his way back up. . . . His command is what makes him what he is, and you’d like to see the velocity pick up a little. I’d like to see some more sharpness on the breaking pitch, and a little better command.

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As Kennedy attempts to work his way back into the Yankees’ plans, reliever Brian Bruney is doing the same down in Tampa. Bruney, out since April with a Lisfranc fracture in his right foot, made his first rehab appearance with the Gulf Coast Yankees Friday night. In two innings of work, he allowed one run on two hits, striking out three and walking one.

Bruney was 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in nine appearances with the Yankees before he was injured.

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The Mets two first-round picks in last month’s draft, Ike Davis and Reese Havens, have made their debuts with Brooklyn. Davis has gotten off to a nice start, going 12-for-40 (.300) with five doubles and seven RBIs through Friday.

Havens, who missed the first couple weeks with a sore right elbow, is 4-for-21 (.190), but has two doubles, two homers and five RBIs.

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The Mets (Binghamton) and Yankees (Trenton) will be well represented in the Double-A All-Star Game on July 16. Pitchers Robert Parnell and Salvido Aguilar, along with 1B/OF’s Mike Carp and Nick Evans, were selected from Binghamton, and OF Austin Jackson, IF Chris Malec, C P.J. Pilitiere and SP Jason Jones made the team from Trenton.

Outfielder Chris Aguila, who was called up by the Mets this week, will represent New Orleans in the Triple-A All-Star Game (also July 16), and OF Justin Christian, who recently was called up and saw action in five games for the Yankees, will represent SWB.

tbontemps@nypost.com