On Wednesday night at Comerica Park, Detroit ace Justin Verlander was looking to tie Boston right-hander Josh Beckett and Yankees lefty CC Sabathia for the most wins among American League pitchers.

In search of his 14th victory, Verlander took the loss in Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to Seattle, even as he struck out 10 Mariners over eight innings. Although the right-hander failed to gain a share of the league lead in wins, he did move into a tie for the major league lead in another category.

Wednesday’s loss was Verlander’s sixth start with double-digit strikeouts this season, tying him with Lincecum and Boston’s Jon Lester for the most double-digit performances.

Most Double-Digit Strikeout Performances, 2009

Justin Verlander, Det. . . .6
Tim Lincecum, SF . . . . . .6
Jon Lester, Bos. . . . . . . 6
Johan Santana, NYM . . . 4
Zack Greinke, KC. . . . . .4

Verlander built on his American League lead in strikeouts on Wednesday. He now has 194 for the season, creating some distance between himself and the Royals’ Zack Greinke (184) and Lester (176). Lester gets a chance to close the gap Thursday, when he faces the Blue Jays in Toronto.

Lincecum not only leads the majors with 207 strikeouts, he also has recorded the most strikeouts in a 2009 game. He fanned 15 Pirates in a complete-game, 4-2 victory on July 27. It was his second double-digit strikeout performance against Pittsburgh in 10 days, and he also whiffed 13 and 12 in consecutive outings against Arizona in mid-April.

Only Toronto’s Roy Halladay has struck out 14 batters in a 2009 start, when he went the distance in a 6-4 win over the Angels on June 2. Verlander has a pair of 13-strikeout performances. Lincecum has one, as do Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar and Johan Santana of the Mets.