Stretch run: Buchholz rounding into form

BALTIMORE — Clay Buchholz was searching for something that could turn his miserable summer into something better, so he was open to suggestions. One day in late July, hitting coach Chili Davis casually suggested to the right-hander that he might want to try working exclusively out of the stretch.

Six weeks later, Buchholz is all stretch all the time, leading to a stretch run few would have imagined.

The righty looked in command of everything on Wednesday night at Camden Yards, leading his surging Red Sox to a 5-1 victory that extended the winning streak to a season-high seven games while running up the lead in the American League East to five over Toronto. Over seven innings, Buchholz limited Baltimore to three hits and a run.

“I’m more comfortable with always slide stepping. Sometimes I can go a little quicker to home plate,” said Buchholz. “I think I messed up some of the guys’ timing tonight for foul balls.”

In a six-start stretch — there’s that word again — that dates back to Aug. 18, Buchholz is 4-0 with a 3.09 ERA.

“Chili Davis is actually the one who said something to me about it,” said Buchholz. “He says that from a hitters’ perspective and him being a hitting coach and watching from the side, when I came out of the stretch, it seemed like the ball got on the hitter quicker.

“He said I was a little bit quicker than with a high leg kick, and the hitter is able to time your leg kick. I thought about it for a week or so and when I …

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