By Ronald Blum
The Associated Press

Not many fans stuck it out to see the end of the most one-sided defeat in the Yankees' 101-year history. (AP photo/Bil Kostroun)

NEW YORK—When Derek Jeter got home after the historic 22-0 loss to Cleveland, he had no desire to tune in to replays of the latest installment of the Slide of the Yankees.

"I've got cable problems in my apartment right now," New York's captain said Wednesday, a day after the most one-sided defeat in the 101-year history of baseball's winningest team.

Much of New York was shocked by Tuesday night's loss, which matched the biggest post-1900 shutout margin in the major leagues. The Yankees' AL East lead, 10 1/2 games on the morning of Aug. 16, was cut to 3 1/2 games over second-place Boston.

"STINKEES" blared the back page of the Daily News.

"WORST LOSS EVER!" read the sports page headline of the New York Post.

On the sign boards outside Yankee Stadium and on some of the scoreboards inside, fans were greeted before the game by various messages, including: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner chimed in with another of his statements, part of which appeared on some of the boards.

"Sure, we got punished badly last night, but winners never quit and quitters never win," Steinbrenner said. "New Yorkers never quit, and we reflect the spirit of New York."

Combined with the Mets' 5-0 loss to Florida across town at Shea Stadium, it marked the first time both New York teams were blanked on the same day since Sept. 17, 1989, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Yankees (81-50) have never failed to finish in first place after leading by at least 6 1/2 games.

"I'm not sure if I woke up this morning or I didn't go to sleep," manager Joe Torre joked before saying he went to bed about 2 a.m., as usual.

At Yankee Stadium, where even minor matters are magnified, Steinbrenner took the loss calmly, according to Torre. No blood was visible on the clubhouse carpet, and vultures were not circling above the ballpark. Torre said Steinbrenner spoke with him by phone and offered "support, keep-your-chin-up-type stuff."

They all know pitching problems are the cause of their ills. Their starters have won once in 16 games since Aug. 13 and their 5.41 team ERA in August was 24th among the 30 major-league teams. It's starting to look like a reverse of 1978, when the Yankees trailed the Red Sox by 14 games after play July 19, then rebounded to win the AL East in a one-game playoff.

Boston had won 19 of its last 23 games entering Wednesday, and the swift turnaround made Red Sox fans giddy with hope.