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RYAN: MORE BREAKING NEWS NOW, AS THE PIRATES FIRE MANAGER CLINT HURDLE. HURDLE WALKING OUT, EVEN BEFORE THE TEAM TOOK TO THE FIELD FOR THE FINAL GAME OF THE SEASON. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION SPORTS DIRECTOR ANDREW STOCKEY WAS THERE AS GENERAL MANAGER NEAL HUNTINGTON ANNOUNCED THE NEWS. REPORTER: THE FIRST 20 FOR THE FRANCHISE IN 20 YEARS BUT NOT ENOUGH. BUT HE WENT FROM BEING IN CONTENTION TO FALLING BEHIND. TELLING THE MEDIA THAT THIS DOES NOT FALL ON CLINT HURDLE. >> WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS ALL OF US. WE HAVE ALL FALLEN SHORT. TO NOT HAVE THIS DAY. >> WE FELT LIKE THERE IS A SHELFLIFE TO EVERY MANAGER POSITION. WE FELT LIKE THIS WAS A TIME TO HAVE A NEW VOICE AND TO HAVE NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE CLUBHOUSE. REPORTER: GIVING HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET HIM KNOW THAT THIS WILL BE HIS LAST TIME TO MANAGE. MEANTIME, THE PIRATES SEARCH BEGINS RIGHT NOW WITH CANDIDATES INSIDE AND OUT

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The Pirates fired manager Clint Hurdle before Sunday's regular season finale against Cincinnati following a stunning second-half collapse that dropped Pittsburgh to the bottom of the National League Central and included a series of off-the-field issues.Pittsburgh entered Sunday 69-92, including a 25-47 since the All-Star break.Hurdle went 735-720 in nine seasons with Pittsburgh, helping the franchise emerge from 20 years of losing to reach the playoffs three straight years from 2013-15. The Pirates never advanced past the Division Series and are assured of a third losing season in their last four years. Hurdle had two years left on an extension he signed in 2017.Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington called it "an extremely difficult decision" for the organization."Words cannot express how much respect and appreciation I have for Clint as a person and a leader," Huntingon said in a statement. "He was the right person at the right time to take on the enormous challenge of leading our Major League team out of an extended losing streak and piloting us to three straight Postseason appearances. We will be forever grateful for his dedication to the Pirates organization on and off the field."Bench coach Tom Prince filled in for Hurdle as manager on Sunday.Hurdle becomes the fifth departing manager. San Francisco's Bruce Bochy and Kansas City's Ned Yost announced their retirements, San Diego's Andy Green was fired on Sept. 21, and the Cubs' Joe Maddon and Chicago announced Sunday he will not return.Oakland's Bob Melvin, hired in June 2011, becomes the longest-tenured manager in the major leagues.Hours before his departure, Hurdle said he had "guarded optimism" about the direction of the team despite its post All-Star break funk. Pittsburgh entered the break at 44-45 but promptly lost 24 of its next 28 games.Off the field, pitcher Felipe Vázquez was charged with statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors, all felonies, and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a person under 16 years old.Reliever Keone Kela suspended for an argument with a team official and Vazquez and reliever Kyle Crick got into a fight that resulted in Crick needing season-ending surgery on his right index finger.Read the statement from Pirates Executive Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington below: “Words cannot express how much respect and appreciation I have for Clint as a person and a leader. He was the right person at the right time to take on the enormous challenge of leading our Major League team out of an extended losing streak and piloting us to three straight Postseason appearances. We will be forever grateful for his dedication to the Pirates organization on and off the field,” said Huntington. “This was an extremely difficult decision for us. As an organization, we believe it was time for a managerial change to introduce a new voice and new leadership inside the clubhouse.“This has been a challenging season on many levels. We are committed to assessing and improving upon our operations at all levels in order to return Postseason baseball to Pittsburgh.”Read the statement from Pirates owner Bob Nutting below: “I have a great deal of appreciation for everything Clint has done for the Pittsburgh Pirates and our community. Clint is not only a great baseball man, he is a great family man. His leadership, inspiration, advice and friendship has helped make me a better person, as he has for so many others. It has been an honor to work with him for the past nine seasons.“While we felt it was time to make a change at the managerial level, I strongly believe that Neal Huntington and the leadership team that he has assembled are the right people to continue to lead our baseball operations department.“This has easily been the most difficult season of my tenure. Today we announced that we are parting ways with Clint, but make no mistake about it, this is by no means a statement that our shortcomings are solely Clint’s fault. The entire organization is accountable and that begins with me.“Neal and his leadership team are well into an extensive review of every element of our baseball operations. In addition, as an organization, we need to improve in the ways we connect with our fans.“It is very clear that we need to and will be better. There is no quick fix, but we are absolutely committed to the task. I believe we can and will achieve it.”