Day after 21-0 loss, Rockies fire manager Black

DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies, a day after losing by 21 runs to the San Diego Padres at Coors Field, fired manager Bud Black on Sunday.

The Rockies are off to a major league-worst 7-33 start, even after defeating the Padres 9-3 on Sunday to salvage one game in the home series and snap an eight-game losing skid. Third-base coach Warren Schaeffer will serve as interim manager for the rest of the season, and hitting coach Clint Hurdle will serve as interim bench coach.

The Rockies, who also fired bench coach Mike Redmond, will open a road trip Monday night against the Texas Rangers and try to turn a corner. Even with Sunday's victory, Colorado has the worst 40-game start since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who were 6-34.

Black was in his ninth year as Rockies manager and had a career record with Colorado of 544-690. He is the winningest manager in franchise history.

Before Saturday night's 21-0 drubbing, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt backed Black, telling The Denver Post that he believed the season still could be turned around.

"I think our guys are still playing hard, and that's what I look at," Schmidt told the Post. "Guys are working hard every day; they come with energy, for the most part. I don't think we are [at that point of firing Black]. Guys still believe in what we are doing and where we are headed. We are all frustrated."

Schmidt said he was looking for "growth" as the season goes along.

"I feel for the fans, I feel for the people around here," he said. "I know we are better than we have played, but we are not good right now. We have to battle through it and get to the other side. There are still a lot of games left. I think we can turn it around, but it's going to take a whole group to do it. The guys are working to get better."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.