The IronPigs return home this week, and Buddy Kennedy will be looking to set a franchise record in the process.

On Sunday, the veteran homered for the fourth straight game in a win over the Syracuse Mets, tying him with Weston Wilson, Cameron Rupp, Colin Cowgill and Joey Meneses with the longest streak of games with a home run. No IronPigs player has ever homered in five straight games, which Kennedy has the chance to do against the Buffalo Bisons.

The 26-year-old came to the Phillies organization after being cut loose by Detroit last season, and played eight games in Philadelphia and 67 games with Lehigh Valley. This season, Kennedy has hit six home runs to go along with 26 RBIs, and is hitting .323 with a .432 on-base percentage while splitting time between first, second and third base with the IronPigs.

While Kennedy has yet to be able to stick with a major league club and is just a .203 hitter in 54 MLB games, he has some pop in his bat and is a valuable piece of insurance for the Phillies should they need someone to play a utility role with the big league club.

Kennedy has two unique connections to other players in the majors. First, he is from Millville, New Jersey, the same hometown as Mike Trout. The two are good friends, and often spend time hunting together during the offseason. The pair remain the only two players to be drafted out of Millville High School.

The second connection traces back to the Phillies, as Kennedy’s grandfather, Don Money, played for the Phillies and Brewers, breaking into the majors in 1968 with Philadelphia before being traded to Milwaukee following the 1972 season. Money hit .261 over 16 major league seasons, extending his career through the 1983 season.

ALUMNI UPDATE … Rather than lose Kody Clemens on a waiver claim earlier this season, the Phillies traded him to Minnesota. The move has worked out okay for the son of former major leaguer Roger Clemens. The younger Clemens has played 15 games with the Twins and has a .256/.347/.535 line, with three homers and eight RBIs with the major league club. Minnesota recently rattled off 13 straight wins, but remain 4 ½ games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.

The Phillies get to see another IronPigs alumni this week in Colorado. Mickey Moniak signed with the Rockies after being cut loose by the Angels. In 43 games with the Rockies, the 27-year-old is batting just .220 with a .270 on-base percentage with three home runs and 12 RBIs. The Rockies are the worst team in the majors, and have won just eight games this season for a .170 winning percentage, a path that would give them a final record of 27-135.

ONE DAY PASS … Even before Mick Abel left the IronPigs in Syracuse to make his MLB debut with the Phillies, manager Rob Thomson told him in no uncertain terms that it was a one-game appearance. With Aaron Nola going on the IL, the Phillies needed a starter Sunday against Pittsburgh and Abel got the call. Abel, 23, made the most of his outing by throwing six shutout innings and striking out nine batters. Granted, it was against the worst offense in baseball – even worse than the Rockies offense – but it was still a great outing. True to Thomson’s word, Abel was optioned back to Lehigh Valley after the game and Taijuan Walker will take Nola’s spot in the rotation.

STAYING ON TRACK … Andrew Painter is right where the Phillies want him to be. The top pitching prospect got his first Triple-A win last week in Syracuse when he threw five innings — 71 pitches — and allowed just two earned runs. The right-hander has a 2.25 ERA in his first two starts with Lehigh Valley. The Phillies hope for him to make his MLB debut somewhere around the All-Star break in July, if all goes well at Triple-A. Painter is coming back from Tommy John surgery. Meanwhile, the Phillies were hit with bad news when another pitching prospect, Moises Chace, grabbed his elbow after throwing a pitch for Double-A Reading. Chace will need Tommy John surgery, and will miss the remainder of this season and most of next season.

SOUND FAMILIAR … Here’s a name only true baseball fans will remember; Bob Milacki. The righty pitched in 143 games over eight seasons in the majors with Baltimore, Cleveland, Kansas City and Seattle. The Bisons have Milacki’s son, 28-year-old Bobby Milacki, on their pitching staff. Milacki (1-1, 3.29) has pitched in just five games, two of which were starts, for Buffalo this season after starting the season with Double-A New Hampshire. Milacki’s dad finished his career with a 39-47 record and a 4.38 ERA in the majors.

BEST IN AAA … At 31-14, the IronPigs have the best winning percentage (.689) in all of Triple-A baseball. They currently lead the IL East by three games over Durham (Rays) and Jacksonville (Marlins). Lehigh Valley, Durham and Jacksonville are the only three teams in the division with winning records this season. Indianapolis (Pirates) and Nashville (Brewers) are tied atop the West Division with Iowa (Cubs), just 1 ½ games out.