CLEVELAND, Ohio — An April win with all the texture of one in October was quickly chilled for the Yankees.

Moments after beating the Cleveland Indians 1–0, the Yankees lost a shocker: Jorge Posada is headed to the disabled list for the first time.

“It’s very disappointing,” said New York’s dependable catcher, bothered by a sore shoulder for weeks. “It’s probably the most disappointing thing in my career.”

The troubling news on Posada came after Chien-Ming Wang shut down Cleveland for seven innings and outpitched C.C. Sabathia, who gave up a home run to Melky Cabrera as the Yankees snapped a three-game losing streak.

Wang (5–0) allowed four hits, struck out a season-high nine and became the AL’s only five-game winner. Only one Cleveland runner reached third against the right-hander, who made 113 pitches and got the Yankees back to .500.

But Wang’s fine outing was overshadowed by Posada, who has started more games than any AL catcher in the past eight seasons. He has caught at least 137 regular-season games each year since 2000 and appeared in 78 postseason games in the span.

“It’s hard to lose a guy like Jorge,” said closer Mariano Rivera, who worked the ninth for his 450th career save. “You can’t replace him. You just hope he gets healthy and comes back strong as soon as he can.”

Posada was a late scratch from the starting lineup. He first complained about a tired arm on April 8 and didn’t catch for two weeks, hoping the rest would strengthen his shoulder. He caught the series opener on Friday and the last four innings on Saturday after he hit a tying, three-run pinch triple.

Posada said he felt pain in his shoulder after a throw on Saturday, and when he came to the ballpark yesterday he couldn’t even have a game of catch.

“We have to be smart about it,” he said. “It’s not getting any better. The MRI shows a strained muscle, but I think it’s more than that. I want to really find out what it is.”

Posada is expected to visit famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews.

One of the Yankees’ leaders, Posada apologized for not being able to play and live up to the four-year, $52 million contract he signed in November.

“You want to play,” he said. “You put your uniform on and you take a lot of pride in playing. We have to find out what it is and then go on.”

Posada said playing anywhere but behind the plate is not an option. “I’m not playing first base,” he said. “I’m a catcher. We’ve got seven first basemen.”

Wang got help from reliever Joba Chamberlain, who pitched a perfect eighth in his first appearance in Cleveland since Game 2 of last year’s playoffs when tiny insects called midges swarmed him and the Yankees in the late innings.

Rivera worked a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two for his seventh save to join Trevor Hoffman and Lee Smith as the only closers to reach the 450 milestone. After Wang gave up a leadoff single in the fifth, the Indians didn’t manage another hit.