Astros Fire Skipper Garner, GM Purpura

HOUSTON — Less than two years ago, the Houston Astros were celebrating their first National League pennant. Yesterday, they were starting over.

Manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura were fired by owner Drayton McLane, who said the franchise "needed a fresh start" after a plunge to the bottom of the NL Central.

Bench coach Cecil Cooper was appointed interim manager, and team president Tal Smith will serve as interim general manager. "I felt for a number of reasons, we needed new direction, invigoration, to play with more enthusiasm and play more like a champion," McLane said.

The Astros slumped to 58–73 this year, nine games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs. They've lost five of their last seven home games, to lowly Washington and Pittsburgh.

"We had really fallen into a pattern of so-so ball," Garner said during a telephone interview with the Associated Press. "We were never able to put together the run, like we made in the previous two seasons. I think there were a number of reasons for that."