BOSTON -- John Cumberland lost his job as pitching coach of the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night, 18 days after taking over when Joe Kerrigan became manager.

Cumberland told players he was fired, pitcher David Cone said. The club announced that Cumberland was reassigned.

The move came after one of baseball's most stirring pitching duels this season in the New York Yankees' 1-0 win.

Mike Mussina was one strike away from a perfect game when Boston pinch-hitter Carl Everett singled with two outs in the ninth. Cone allowed four hits in eight innings before giving up the only run, which was unearned, in the ninth.

Cone's performance ended a three-game series in which Red Sox starters allowed just 10 hits and no earned runs in 21 1/3 innings, although the Yankees won all three games.

"It's tough for Cumby. He was a good guy," Cone said. "It's a tough situation when you have a new manager who wants to align his coaching staff the way he wants it."

No replacement for Cumberland was named.

Cumberland was in his third year as Boston's bullpen coach when Kerrigan, who had been serving as pitching coach, succeeded the fired Jimy Williams on Aug. 16.

Cumberland has been in the Red Sox organization since Feb. 3, 1995, when he became pitching coach at Triple-A Pawtucket.