Angels Rude to a Friend : Baseball: They visit former teammate Joyner and the Royals, leaving with an 8-1 victory.

Wally Joyner had an opportunity to greet all of his former teammates Friday and to meet many of the new Angels, too.

Joyner didn’t have to go out of his way to renew acquaintances. All he had to do was stand at first base as every Angel in the starting lineup stopped by or passed through on his way around the basepaths during an 8-1 victory over Kansas City at Royals Stadium.

In dooming the Royals to their 10th loss in 11 games this season, starter Scott Lewis (1-0) lasted seven innings and gave up only two hits, a home run and a single by Kevin McReynolds. Mark Eichhorn finished.

“I said ‘Hi’ to Wally. Maybe the pitcher was the only guy who didn’t have that chance,” said Angel left fielder Luis Polonia, who had three hits and drove in three runs.

Alvin Davis, half of the platoon replacing Joyner at first, also drove in three runs with a third-inning double. Lance Parrish’s second home run of the season, against Rusty Meacham in the eighth inning, ensured the Angels of their fourth victory in five games on this trip.

Lewis’ performance helped compensate for the absence of Mark Langston and Chuck Finley, who are recovering from injuries.

“Most of our pitchers are out and we have to help whoever’s out there,” said Polonia, who had a two-run single during the third inning.

During the fourth inning, Polonia attempted to score from second base on Von Hayes’ single to center. Ignoring third base coach John Wathan’s stop sign, Polonia tried to barrel past catcher Brent Mayne, but became the second Angel runner thrown out at home in the inning. No matter, though, because they had scored five times during the third and once before Polonia’s ill-advised dash home.

“The guys are swinging the bat great and they just jumped on (Mike) Boddicker,” Lewis said. “With a lead, I went out and just tried to be aggressive. . . . I would consider this one of my better outings. Definitely the best one this year, which wouldn’t have been hard to top.”

Lewis, moved into the starting rotation because of Langston’s strained left hip, earned his fourth career victory as a starter. He was 1-1 in 1990 and 2-5 as a starter in 1991.

“I went out and just trusted myself. I got a lot of outs with fastballs,” said Lewis, who was struck on the back of the right leg by George Brett’s line drive during the second inning. He iced his leg after the game and felt some cramping, which he expects will turn into stiffness today.

“I’m my own worst enemy sometimes,” he said. “I had to save my job. I know after the spring I had, I didn’t give the new manager an idea of what I was capable of and I really wanted to show him.

“I got in a rut last year and I struggled. I was down confidence-wise, and it was hard to get back up. I was always walking on thin ice and trying not to make mistakes. It seems to be getting better every time. I’m more comfortable and my pitches are coming around.”

Things are getting worse for the Royals, whose start is their most dismal ever. A crowd of 18,296 watched the team’s batting average sink to a league-low .195, which prompted Manager Hal McRae to say he will eliminate his afternoon media gatherings to work with his hitters.

“I’m not the hitting guy, but we had some success last year and that’s the only thing I know I can do to help,” he said.

“We lost another game. We didn’t pitch and we didn’t hit. You leave the park every day hoping tomorrow will be the day we get it turned around. We just need to get it turned around in a hurry.”