Brewers’ late-season slump costs Yost job

MILWAUKEE (AP) — In an unprecedented move, the Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ned Yost Monday, hoping to pull out of another late-season slump that has jeopardized the team’s chance of making the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Third-base coach Dale Sveum will take over as interim manager for the remainder of the season. The Brewers have lost seven of eight and fallen into a tie with Philadelphia for the NL wild card lead.

It marked the first time in major league history — except the strike-split 1981 season — that a manager was fired in August or later with his team in playoff position, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

At 83-67, the Brewers have just 12 games to rebound.

Milwaukee came into this month with a 51‚Ñ2-game lead in the wild card, but since has lost 11 of 14 — including a four-game sweep completed by the Phillies over the weekend.

The Brewers were idle Monday, and were scheduled to begin a three-game series with the Central-leading Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field tonight.

“This was a very difficult move to make, and we appreciate all of the work that Ned has done to develop this team into a contender,” general manager Doug Melvin said in a statement. “In the end, this was a collaborative decision made to put our club in the best position for the final two weeks of the season.”

During the rejiggered 1981 season, the Montreal Expos fired future Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams in early September. The Expos went 16-11 under Jim Fanning to win the second-half title and make the playoffs.

In 1983, Philadelphia fired Pat Corrales in early July when it was in first place with a 43-42 record. Under Paul Owens, the Phillies reached the World Series.

In 1982, the Brewers fired manager Buck Rodgers after a 23-24 start. Popular Harvey Kuenn took over and his “Harvey’s Wallbangers” went to the World Series.