Gabriel Moreno celebrated his return from the injured list by blasting a three-run homer, and the Diamondbacks and right-hander Ryne Nelson lead the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3, as play continued in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday night, Aug. 22, at Chase Field.

Moreno, playing in his first game since June 14, came to the plate with two on and one out against Reds right-hander Zack Littell and sent a 1-2 splitter into the left-field bleachers.

Counting Moreno’s minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno, it was his third consecutive game with a homer.

Nelson has given up three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six through six innings.

The Diamondbacks scored a run in the first. Corbin Carroll doubled to right-center after a Geraldo Perdomo walk, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove Perdomo home on a sacrifice fly.

Elly De La Cruz led off the sixth inning with a triple and scored on a groundout to make the score 4-3.

—Nick Piecoro

Tim Bogar named third-base coach

The Diamondbacks named Tim Bogar their new third-base coach, plumbing a staffer from their player development system to replace Shaun Larkin, who was removed from the role earlier in the week.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Bogar’s name was one that “kept coming up” as the organization talked through possible replacements. Bogar, who played parts of nine seasons in the majors from 1993-2001, had been working in a special adviser role overseeing the club’s minor league system, though he also has coached third before at the big-league level.

“He was a middle infielder,” Lovullo said. “I feel like middle infielders and catchers make the best third-base coaches. Once you have that clock on, it’s always on for the rest of your life.

“You know how fast balls can get reversed and thrown around the diamond. Bogey was a really good defensive middle infielder for a long time. He’s done it and coached third base at this level. I think he’s got the right heartbeat.”

Lovullo said he has no concerns about the fact that Bogar, 58, has not coached third in the majors since 2011 with the Boston Red Sox.

Larkin was removed from the job after months of questionable decisions, but will remain on the staff as the club’s infield coach. He spent part of pregame on Friday, Aug. 22, doing individual drills with Diamondbacks players Ketel Marte and Tyler Locklear.

—Nick Piecoro

Gabriel Moreno returns; Jose Herrera DFA’d

The Diamondbacks designated catcher Jose Herrera for assignment on Aug. 22, opting to keep veteran James McCann as they cleared the way for catcher Gabriel Moreno to return from the injured list.

Herrera, 28, was hitting .187/.285/.259 with two homers in 166 at-bats this season. He owns a career .200 average with three homers in 475 at-bats in parts of four seasons in the majors.

Herrera has spent his entire career in the Diamondbacks’ organization. He signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela on July 2, 2013.

McCann has been a productive hitter since joining the Diamondbacks in late June, posting a .247/.337/.403 line with three homers in 77 at-bats. He has also come to be paired with right-hander Zac Gallen, catching each of Gallen’s past 10 starts.

“It’s mound visits, it’s the calming conversations, it’s the engagement in between innings and in meetings — all those little things that everybody might not be able to see that he’s very comfortable with,” manager Torey Lovullo said of McCann.

“Jose was doing the same and was learning day by day. But I do think McCann’s experience probably had a little bit of an edge over Jose and that was one of the major reasons we made the decision.”

Lovullo said he hopes if Herrera clears waivers he would be willing to return to the organization.

-Nick Piecoro

Thompson, in own mind, ready to rejoin club

Diamondbacks relief pitcher Ryan Thompson threw another live batting practice session before the series opener against the Reds, and Lovullo said Thompson lobbied to be activated right away and be available to pitch the same night.

Of course, the Diamondbacks would like to see Thompson, who has been out with a strained scapular since early July, pitch in at least one rehab assignment game before he is activated. He’ll need Saturday, Aug. 23, to recover.

“I love that. I love that he’s that ready and he feels that complete that he’s able to make that statement,” Lovullo said of Thompson. “It’s a tough at-bat for especially right-handed batters.

“There’s a lot of moving parts coming at you with real good stuff in back of that.”

—Jose M. Romero

Manager enjoys good time with players

Lovullo took the opportunity to engage with his players, helping determine the team’s annual fantasy football competition draft order by hitting balls into the outfield prior to the Aug. 22 game.

One of his batted balls landed Thompson and Pavin Smith the first pick with a ball hit 354 feet. Corbin Carroll jokingly thanked Lovullo for getting his twosome the 12th pick.

“It’s fun to get out there and spend some time with those guys in a little bit different light,” Lovullo said. “They see me a little bit differently. I’m traditionally not their friend, I’m their manager. But when I get the chance to get on the other side of it and participate and do something like that with them so they can see a different side of me, it’s a lot of fun. And it’s part of our culture. … To go out there and have fun with the group was probably even more fun than I let them realize, and more fun for me than it actually was for them. Glad I was able to do it and not actually embarrass myself.”

Lovullo, a switch hitter, gets more power hitting from the left side, he said.

-Jose M. Romero

Diamondbacks at Reds, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34/KPNX, Ch. 12

Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (6-3, 3.58) vs. Reds RHP Zack Littell (9-8, 3.52).

At Chase Field: Nelson had a win evaporate in the late innings last weekend against the Colorado Rockies, an outing in which he gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings at Coors Field. He had given up just two runs through six innings and had a 7-2 lead. The Diamondbacks wound up losing, 10-7. … Nelson’s previous start went similarly in Texas, where a 6-1 lead became a 6-5 game after a four-run sixth inning. … Littell has made three starts with the Reds, who acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the trade deadline. He has a 3.06 ERA with three walks and 14 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings with his new club. … He faced the Diamondbacks in April, giving up three runs in six innings in a start at Chase Field.

Coming up

Saturday, Aug. 23: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Nabil Crismatt (0-0, 1.80) vs. Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (8-3, 2.28).

Sunday, Aug. 24: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (9-13, 5.28) vs. Reds RHP Brady Singer (11-9, 4.18).

Monday, Aug. 25: At Milwaukee, 4:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-7, 5.40) vs. Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski (4-2, 4.19).

What to know about the Cincinnati Reds

At 67-61, the Reds went into the off day on Aug. 21 sitting a game back of the New York Mets for the third and final wild-card spot. They were buyers at the trade deadline, adding RHP Zack Littell, 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes and OF/IF Miguel Andujar. The Reds have been boosted by the emergence of RF Noelvi Marte, who is hitting .306/.339/.526 with 10 homers in 209 at-bats. SS Elly De La Cruz is having another solid year, with 19 homers and 31 steals to go with a .273 average. LHP Andrew Abbott has been their best starter, logging a 2.28 ERA in 130 innings. The Reds bullpen has been all right, with RHP Emilio Pagan converting 25 saves with a 3.10 ERA and RHP Tony Santillan posting a 2.79 ERA in a setup role.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)