Clevenger starts as Wieters given day off

BALTIMORE -- With the Orioles facing a quick turnaround because of Sunday's 1:35 p.m. ET start, backup catcher Steve Clevenger was in the lineup on Saturday night, giving starter Matt Wieters a rest.

With Toronto pitching right-hander Drew Hutchison on Saturday and left-hander Mark Buehrle on Sunday, it made sense for Clevenger, a lefty hitter, to play Saturday, and Wieters, a switch-hitter, to go on Sunday.

"It's just the matchups," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We haven't had a left-handed hitting catcher in the past. So that's where that variable comes into play."

Clevenger, who has one home run and a .208 average in 231 career at-bats, seems an unlikely player for the five-hole spot he occupied Saturday. But according to Showalter, Toronto has a pair of tough lefties out of the bullpen -- Brett Cecil and Aaron Loup -- who make it tough in the late innings.

"It's very evident one of the strengths is their bullpen," Showalter said. "If you set up your batting order where they can get multiple people out with one pitcher, if you do it any other way you're going to have a challenge with that."