Bob Gibson gave up 5 home runs, but the Los Angeles Dynamos still had to hold off a Houston Hoots comeback to win on opening day 9-7. Cristóbal Torriente got things started with a solo shot in the 1st. Ralph Kiner and Tony Gwynn added a 2-run homer each in the 2nd, and Todd Helton hit his own solo shot in the 3rd to put LA up 6-0 early. But Houston chipped away at the lead against Sandy Koufax, including a 2-run homer from Eddie Mathews to cut the lead to 6-5 in the 6th. Gibson left after serving up another solo shot, this time to Gary Carter, in the 7th. But a pair of triples from Rogers Hornsby and Chuck Klein tied things up at 7. But Kiner wasn’t done, hitting another 2-run jack off reliever Jesse Haines to put the Dynamos up 9-7. Lee Smith pitched a perfect 9th for the save, as LA took the 1st game of the season. Kiner was 2 for 4 with 4 RBI, making the most of his start. Last season, he didn’t hit a homer as he spent the season on the bench behind starter Frank Robinson. Robinson finished last year hitting just .239, leading LA to try something new this season. Gibson allowed just 8 home runs all of last season.