Houston ? Manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura were fired Monday by the Houston Astros, less than two years after leading the team to its first World Series appearance.

Bench coach Cecil Cooper was appointed interim manager, and team president Tal Smith will serve as interim general manager.

“I felt this was the time for a change,” owner Drayton McLane said. “I just think we needed a fresh start.”

Houston slumped to 58-73 this year, nine games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs.

“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.”