Mike Segar / Reuters

Cleveland Indians Grady Sizemore scores during the fourth inning of Game 4 of the ALDS agasint the Yankees.  Cleveland won the game 6-4 to advance to the ALCS.

Pettitte said his decision whether to return will be based partly on whether Torre comes back.

“I hope he stays here and manages forever,” Pettitte said. “No one in the locker room wants to see him go. That’s for sure. ... You see him in that office and you really can’t see anyone else.”

Cleveland completed a sorry season for New York’s teams — the Mets swooned with 12 losses in 17 games and missed the playoffs entirely. And with the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies also knocked out in the first round, television ratings could take a dive.

It was 87 degrees at game time — the hottest Oct. 8 ever in New York City — and the Indians applied heat right from the start.

Wang, battered for eight runs in New York’s opening 12-3 loss, was chased after just three outs — the shortest start of the 27-year-old’s short career.

Sizemore homered on a 95 mph fastball with little sink for just his second shot since Aug. 28. Jhonny Peralta, who hit .467, made it 2-0 when he lofted a two-RBI single to center.

Cleveland loaded the bases in the second on two singles and a hit batter — the Yankees argued that Kelly Shoppach was fouled off his bunt attempt, but umpires decided it hit a hand. That was it for Wang, whose stats will be besmirched with a 19.06 ERA in this series.

Mussina came out of the bullpen to save the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against Boston but couldn’t do it this time. Sizemore grounded into a run-scoring double play, and Asdrubal Cabrera singled for a 4-0 lead.

Hannah Foslien / Getty Images The Week in Sports Pictures

Indians manager Eric Wedge was questioned for not using Sabathia on short rest over Byrd on Monday night but Byrd came up big. He allowed runners in every inning but pitched out of jams with his assortment of offspeed stuff.

Time after time, the Yankees failed in the clutch, going 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving them at 6-for-28 in the series and making for another winter of discontent in the Bronx.

“One hundred percent, it’s not Joe’s fault,” Rodriguez said.

As A-Rod remained in the dugout, his No. 13 looking as huge and unlucky as Ralph Branca’s across the Harlem River at the Polo Grounds in 1951, Torre walked up the tunnel toward the clubhouse. Thoughts of another season ending early went through his mind.

“It’s such an empty feeling,” he said. “You think it’s going to last forever.”

Notes: The Yankees removed the injured Clemens from their active roster before the game and replaced him with LHP Ron Villone. ... The first two innings took 1 hour, 14 minutes.

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