Buchholz

BALTIMORE — Pitcher Clay Buchholz says he doesn’t want to say he’s trying to “perfect” his pitches. He would rather say he’s “refining” his style.

The rookie right-hander will make his 15th start for Boston tonight. With a 2-8 record and a 6.35 ERA, this season hasn’t gone the way Buchholz and the Red Sox had hoped it would. He’s been working with pitching coach John Farrell, and the two have watched a lot of video. The main thing Buchholz is trying to do is stay balanced in his delivery.

“I felt a lot more comfortable with the things we’ve been working on,” he said. “It’s helped me, and now that they’ve pushed me back a couple of days, it has allowed me to work on things in the bullpen. (Tonight) is going to be a big start. The last five starts have been big, in my mind, as I try to get out of this slide that I’m in. I’m just trying to relax a little bit more and not put too much pressure on myself and hopefully help this team win a game.”

Buchholz knew during spring training that there was a chance he would spend some time in Pawtucket, and he has. When he’s been called upon by the Red Sox, he has struggled.

He said he worried too much at the start of the season about being sent down. Now he’s just focusing on the task at hand.

“All I had last year was success,” he said. “Going into spring training, I might have taken it for granted a bit, thinking I already had the game beat in a sort of way. As I can see now, as everyone sees, no one is bigger than the game. That was a big reality check for me to go back to proving that I belong here. It’s been a rough road this year, but there are some positives, too.

Because Red Sox starter Josh Beckett lasted only 2 1/3 innings in his last outing, on Sunday at Fenway Park, Buchholz worked an inning of relief, allowing one run. He said yesterday he feels that one inning of work could put him in the right direction tonight.

“I do, too,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “I think he’s smart enough to try to make it help. There’s a reason why we believe in him. First of all, his stuff is good; sometimes it’s great.

“He’s going through a lot of normal growing pains that major-league players go through. He’s not quitting on himself, and I think the reward for staying with him is going to be good. I hope we see the reward (tonight). Our organization will be rewarded for this because he’s going to be good.”

jmcdonal@projo.com