Go, Yankees, Go!

When you're the biggest team in baseball, even a loss makes news.

After the New York Yankees suffered a devastating defeat of 22-4 against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday, the media descended on Yankee Stadium for today's rematch. The New York papers had plastered their front pages with stories about the historic loss, but fans kept the faith.

"They will bounce back," said Deigo Duque, 32, of Stamford, Conn. before the game started. He watched the Yankees lose on Saturday from his home and was shocked. "I couldn't believe what I saw. That was disgraceful," said Duque. He hoped the Yankees would work on their pitching. Yankee pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, to say the least, had a bad game on Saturday.

Pitching was the main concern of fans. "They need to pitch better," said Jerry Cunningham, 63. "[Yesterday] was a horrible way for the Bronx Bombers to get bombed...but they will rebound today." Cunningham, who is originally from Brooklyn but now lives in Blandon, Pa., has been a Yankee fan for over 35 years. He used to frequent the old Yankee Stadium and was now at the new stadium for the first time.

The new Yankee Stadium opened on April 3 with an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs. The stadium is located directly across from the old one and cost $1.5 billion to erect. There is room for over 52,000 fans and today the stadium was nearly sold out.

"I came here a few weeks ago and was like a kid in a candy store," said Duque. "It's immaculate. It really is the cathedral of baseball right now."

As the the new stadium shined as brightly under the sun as any Uptown skyscraper, hoards of fans piled in. They came from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and, in the case of one man, from Fond-du-Lac, Wis. Donald Gorske, 55, who is known for appearing in the documentary Super Size Me as the guy who has ate over 23,000 McDonald's Big Macs, came to the stadium to support the Yankees...and eat a Big Mac.

"It was a fluke game," said Gorske of the Yankees' Saturday loss. "One game doesn't make the whole season." Gorske is currently writing a book about eating a Big Mac in every stadium in Major League Baseball.

Even one Indian fan was confident in the Yankees. "Yesterday was [Cleveland's] rare moment in the sun," said John Gontro, 57, originally from Cleveland but now living in Connecticut. "We don't have championships like New York...It was great while it lasted."

The game started slowly with only three runs scored in six innings - and they were all for the Indians. Yankee fans started to get nervous and hoped for a sign.

Remi Norris, an 11-year-old Asphalt Green soccer player, was nervous but still predicted a Yankee comeback. "They need A-Rod in there," said Remi. Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez is currently injured and will, most likely, miss most of the season. Remi's father, Jason Norris, 40, echoed his son's concern. "It just feels like something is missing out there," Norris said.

Then, in the seventh inning, Yankee catcher Jorge Posada hit a home run into right field. The ball flew into the wall, with Yankee fan Brian Doyle, 33, of Scotch Plains, N.J., obscuring the Indians' Trevor Crowe from catching it.

Doyle, who works in the technology department of an investment bank, said he knew he hit a glove - but he wasn't sure if it was Crowe's or the person next to him. The ball hit him on his left wrist, causing a large red welt. "I feel like I should have had it," Doyle said.

After a review from the umpires, the home run was ruled fair and from then on the Yankees' momentum powered them to a 7-3 victory over the Indians.

"They needed this win after yesterday's terrible loss," said Eli Frisehman, 15, of Monsey, N.Y. His friend, Ezra Rothenberg, 16, also of Monsey, said he was nervous when the Yankees were down by three. "When Posada hit the home run it was a turning point," he said.

The Yankees play another home game tomorrow against Oakland Athletics at 7:05 p.m.