MILWAUKEE — In an unprecedented move, the Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ned Yost yesterday, 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, the Elias Sports Bureau said.

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

Milwaukee came into this month with a 5 1/2-game lead in the wild card, but since has lost 11 of 14. Milwaukee was idle yesterday.

"(Yost) didn't have all the answers for what is going on the last two weeks and I'm not sure I have all the answers," general manager Doug Melvin said. "I'm not sure this is the right one, either."

Milwaukee is hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's collapse. The Brewers held an 8 1/2-game lead in late June before sliding to 83-79 and missing the playoffs.