Another Mancini HR — but little else to show

Another early home run by Trey Mancini teased a promising front half of Thursday’s doubleheader, though it proved insufficient to overcome what are canonical pitching issues for these rebuilding Orioles in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Starter Matt Harvey looked impressive and carried a shutout into the fifth inning, but allowed a game-tying home run before he could complete the frame. Tanner Scott — the Orioles’ best reliever to this point in the season — allowed a two-out, two-strike, two-run double to J.P. Crawford in the sixth to create the game’s final margin.

Mancini drove in a pair of runs with his third homer of the season in the first inning, but the Orioles (5-7) didn’t have another hit until the sixth inning, sending them to their fifth loss in six games on this opening homestand.

“Really good first inning from an offensive standpoint, and then not much else after to take a little pressure off our pitchers,” manager Brandon Hyde said.

Through the first four innings, Harvey was carrying his best fastball of his three Orioles starts and had allowed just a single off second baseman Ramón Urías’ glove, a walk and a hit batter.

But a two-out single by No. 9 hitter Sam Haggerty in fifth inning turned the lineup over for Mitch Haniger to hit a game-tying two-run home run into the Mariners bullpen.

Harvey said in his mind he wanted to throw his two-seam fastball on Haniger’s hands, but instead threw a four-seamer that “went right into his bat path and pretty much cost us the game.”

“I’m pretty frustrated,” said Harvery, who allowed three hits while striking out three and walking one in 4 ⅔ innings. “I think I feel like that game should have been 2-0, and I should have been out there the whole game.”

Scott finished the fifth, but battled fastball command issues in the sixth and was tagged for his first runs allowed of the season, taking his first loss.

“Got a couple big punchouts, and then I liked him on Crawford there, two strikes,” Hyde said. “The slider just got a little too much of the plate.”

What could have been

After Mancini’s home run in the first, Pedro Severino and Ryan Mountcastle each singled before Urías popped out to end the inning.

It wasn’t until Maikel Franco singled to begin the sixth inning that the Orioles had another hit. In between, Freddy Galvis

The Orioles’ Trey Mancini, right, is congratulated by Maikel Franco after hitting a two-run home run against the Mariners during the first inning of the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader at Camden Yards. Players across the league wore No. 42 to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. opened the fifth with a walk but was erased by Mancini’s league-high fifth double play of the season.

‘Special day’ to remember Jackie Robinson

Hyde said before the game that the Orioles watched a video from the Players Alliance on racial inequities in baseball Wednesday after a talk from center fielder Cedric Mullins ahead of Jackie Robinson Day, setting the stage for what he called a “special day” Thursday.

“It’s one that we all look forward to, wearing the 42,” he said. “We’ll wear the 42 today, and it’s a proud moment just because it’s still so powerful and meaningful to not only this game but to our society, our culture, our country — the barriers that Jackie Robinson as well as many others broke back in those days. We’re here to celebrate that and

continue that legacy.”

Mullins posted on Instagram that he was one of over 100 players who donated his salary for Thursday to the Players Alliance in support of its initiatives to promote equality in baseball.

Around the horn

Mullins, who entered Thursday tied for second in the majors with 19 hits, went 0-for-3 with a groundout and two flyouts, ending his 15-game hitting streak dating to the 2020 season.

Hyde said the Orioles are “encouraged” by test results after placing right-hander Mac Sceroler on the injured list Wednesday with right shoulder tendinitis. “We’re hoping it’s not going to be too long,” Hyde said.

Right-hander Cole Sulser was recalled from the secondary camp at Bowie site as the 27th man for Thursday’s doubleheader.