How Gabriel Moreno's Triumphant Return Drove D-backs to Victory

In the third inning, Moreno crushed a three-run homer deep to left field, giving Arizona a 4-2 lead at the time.

"Feels amazing," Moreno told reporters postgame. "Coming back, first game, hit a homer to get the lead [in] the game. That made me feel awesome, and do my job behind the plate."

But that wasn't his only highlight of the night.

Facing a 5-4 deficit, with a runner at third and one out in the 10th inning, TJ Friedl hit a fly ball in foul territory. Corbin Carroll closed in on it, caught the ball and fired a strike to Moreno at home.

The throw was impressive in velocity, but led Moreno up the line. The 2023 Gold Glove catcher made a lunging tag to end the inning without further damage.

"That was a pretty good tag," Moreno said with a laugh. "Corbin made a good throw right there. ... I just tagged him. Really good double play right there."

When asked whether the throw or the tag was more impressive, Moreno was adamant.

"The tag [was better]. I know Corbin is going to say something, but he knows it's the tag. That was really good," Moreno said, good-naturedly.

Carroll did say something. Even he gave credit to Moreno for his tag.

"That was the highlight of the play, really," Carroll admitted.

"Just a super, super athletic play. Obviously we missed him, but that's our guy back there. To have him come back and hit the homer right away, just make the athletic play, the tag, it's just all those things that you miss."

Arizona would go on to win 6-5 on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. RBI single. Moreno said it felt good to get back into action and contribute to a win after such a long rehab process.

"I feel good after almost two months and a half doing rehab. I feel good back on the field and keep doing my job. That's what I always want, so I'm finally back," Moreno said.

He said he was surprised by how long the rehab process took him.

"I was working really hard down there to get back quickly, but I'm finally back and [we got] the win today. It made me hurt when [they were] losing, but I believe in my teammates and I know they're going to be back to win games," Moreno said.

Ketel Marte called Moreno "a wonderful piece to the team."

"[I] hope that he stays healthy throughout and he's able to help the team," Marte said, through a translator.

"We're a different team with Gabriel Moreno in this lineup," manager Torey Lovullo said.

"Nothing against anybody else that's been holding down the forward for him, but you can see what he can do with one swing of the bat. ... It's been a long time coming. We've missed him," Lovullo said.

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