ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Jose Herrera hit a two-run double in a four-run fourth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.
Blaze Alexander had two hits as the bottom of the Diamondbacks’ order was productive in a positive result just before the All-Star break. Alexander was batting eighth and Herrera ninth for Arizona, which won for just the fourth time in its past 12 games.
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Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Blaze Alexander hits an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (8-5) overcame early control trouble to give up one run and one hit over five innings. He had six strikeouts, with two of his four walks to the first three Angels batters of the game.
Mike Trout drove in a run for the Angels, who fell short in their bid to earn a third home series sweep since the start of June.
Los Angeles right-hander Jose Soriano (6-7) gave up five runs, but just one was earned over five innings, with three walks.
The Angels led 1-0 after Trout’s RBI single in the third inning.
The Diamondbacks moved in front 4-1 in the fourth inning on a game-tying grounder from Eugenio Suarez, an RBI double from Alexander and Herrera’s two-run double. Suarez added an RBI double in the fifth.
With runners at first and second and nobody out for the Diamondbacks in the fourth, Angels third baseman Yoan Moncada misplayed Suarez’s grounder to his left, opening the door for the four-run inning. Moncada, who has been bothered with knee soreness, was replaced on defense in the sixth inning by Kevin Newman.
Kelly is 5-1 with a 2.67 ERA in his 11 starts that have come immediately after an Arizona loss, with opponents batting under .200 in those games.
Both teams return to action Friday after the All-Star break: Arizona is home to the St, Louis Cardinals; Los Angeles is at Philadelphia.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Blaze Alexander hits an RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Chelsea was back on the coaching carousel under its American ownership on Thursday after Enzo Maresca left his position as manager following a reported deterioration in his relationship with the Premier League club’s hierarchy.
There was no immediate announcement regarding the successor to Maresca. The BBC and The Athletic reported that Liam Rosenior, who coaches French team Strasbourg — a club in the same ownership group as Chelsea, is a leading contender.
Maresca was midway through his second year in charge, having won the Conference League and Club World Cup in his first season at Chelsea.
However, the team has endured a turbulent last few months — Chelsea has won just one of its last seven Premier League matches to drop to fifth place — while Maresca publicly expressed his unhappiness at a lack of support at the club in a post-match news conference on Dec. 13, when the Italian said he had just experienced his “worst” 48 hours at Chelsea.
“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football," Chelsea said in a statement, "Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.”
Chelsea has advanced to the English League Cup semifinals, where it will play Arsenal over two legs, and begins its FA Cup campaign away to second-tier Charlton on Jan. 10. In the Champions League, Chelsea is in 13th place in the 36-team league, two points off the eight automatic qualification spots with two rounds of matches left.
Chelsea is seeking a fifth full-time manager since the takeover of the club by American investors, fronted by Todd Boehly, in May 2022.
In the past 3 1/2 years, Chelsea has spent hundreds of million of pounds (dollars) in what looked from the outside a chaotic bid to sign players to refresh its squad. It now has one of the youngest and most talented squads in the Premier League, with star players including Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Estevao, but managers have struggled to get the players to gel as a team after so many changes.
Out of all the managers to have led Chelsea in that period — and they include Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino, the current coaches of England and the United States, respectively — Maresca appeared to have handled the chaos the best.
Yet he reportedly didn’t feel appreciated given the tough working conditions and, according to the BBC, recently switched agents. A few weeks ago, media reports in England linked Maresca with a possible move to Manchester City — where he briefly worked under Pep Guardiola — should Guardiola eventually leave, though Maresca played the reports down.
Chelsea’s results have taken a downturn since a 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League in November.
The team’s only league win in the past month was over Everton, 2-0. There have been draws with Arsenal, Newcastle and Bournemouth (twice) and losses to Leeds and Aston Villa.
Its next game is at plays second-place Man City on Sunday.
Chelsea said its achievements under Maresca “will remain an important part of the club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the club.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Atalanta and Chelsea, in Bergamo, Italy, on Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)
FILE - Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca sits on a bench ahead of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Qarabag and Chelsea in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo, File)
Chelsea's head coach Enzo Maresca, left, gives instructions to Estevao during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
