Tee Shot True Blast for Davis : Baseball: He hits 423-foot homer in support of Langston, who pitches Angels to 8-1 victory in Kansas City.

Chili Davis stepped to the plate in the seventh inning Sunday, took in the sights of Kauffman Stadium--cascading fountains beyond the outfield fence, lush, new grass playing surface--and could have sworn he had a driver, not a bat, in his hands.

“It was like a par five, reachable in two shots,” he said after the Angels had beaten the Royals, 8-1, Sunday before 13,879.

Davis’ tee shot found the water, but he didn’t toss his club in disgust or demand a Mulligan, because this pond was roughly 423 feet away from home plate, behind the center field wall.

That’s where Davis’ towering, three-run home run off reliever Doug Linton landed.

“Man, that home run felt awesome,” said Davis, who in his last five games has 13 hits, two homers and nine runs batted in. “It was a good drive.”

Davis’ blast was only one of the highlights of an impressive Angel victory that included:

--A complete game by left-hander Mark Langston, who gave up five hits--two singles to the outfield, two infield singles and one bunt single--struck out six and retired the last 16 batters to improve to 2-0. It was the Angels’ first complete game of the season.

--A two-hit, two-RBI performance by Rex Hudler, a utility player who entered with an .083 average and was making only his third start of the season.

--Home runs by outfielder Tony Phillips to lead off the game and first baseman J.T. Snow to lead off the second inning. It was the 16th time Phillips has led off a game with a homer.

--No errors for the fifth consecutive game and five assists by second baseman Damion Easley, who has not made an error in 16 games and has impressed teammates and Manager Marcel Lachemann with his smooth transition from third base to second.

“Damion is struggling with the bat (0 for 12 in the Kansas City series), but to his credit he has made some great plays,” Lachemann said. “Each time you do that, who knows how many fewer pitches you have to make or batters you have to face?”

Langston certainly appreciates the defense.

“When you get a lead like that and the guys are making all the plays, all I have to do is grab the ball and throw it to the glove,” Langston said. “It really takes the pressure off.”

Langston was involved in one of the game’s best plays, fielding Vince Coleman’s bunt in the fifth and making a throw to first that appeared headed right for Coleman’s rear end.

But Snow leaned in, reached around and practically picked the throw right out of Coleman’s back pocket, falling as the umpire called Coleman out.

Coleman hit a hard grounder up the middle in the ninth, but Easley made a back-hand stab and, after a full turn, threw Coleman out at first.

“Damion is not hitting worth a . . . but he’s playing awesome defense,” Davis said. “That’s the sign of a big league player. He’s in position. He’s turning double plays he has no business turning. A lot of guys who aren’t hitting take that to the field with them, but he’s not.”

Easley, 25, made that mistake last season, when he batted .215 and made six errors in 47 games at third base.

“Last year was tough. It was a new experience, struggling on offense, and I didn’t pay attention to defense like I should have,” said Easley, who is batting .210 with five RBIs. “But this year I’m looking at it more from a team aspect.

“I have five tools to work with and I’m using at least one of them. The hitting will come. I’m not going to panic like I did last year.”

The Angels spoiled the American League debut of pitcher Tom Browning, a former Cincinnati left-hander who was making his first start since he broke his arm while throwing a pitch against the San Diego Padres last May 9. Browning gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings.