Michael Kopech almost nailed the batter with the game’s first pitch. After that, he was just about perfect.

Kopech gave up one hit over a career-high eight innings, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Friday night.

Kopech simply toyed with the Royals as the White Sox opened a weekend series between teams with two of the majors’ worst records on a winning note. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out a season-high 10 on 98 pitches, and bounced back from a loss to Houston and won for the second time in three starts.

Kopech (2-4) nearly hit Bobby Witt Jr. in the head with the game’s first pitch, but got him to ground out on a 3-1 fastball. He retired the the first 16 batters before giving up a bloop single to Michael Massey, who was erased on a double play. Massey also broke up a no-hit bid by the Padres’ Michael Wacha on Monday at San Diego when he lined a single leading off the eighth.

The Royals did not get another runner. Kopech lobbied to go the distance after breezing through the eighth.

Manager Pedro Grifol said he would have kept him in if the no-hitter was intact. Instead, Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his third save, getting Jackie Bradley Jr. on a fly to deep center to end the game.

The White Sox took a 2-0 lead against Zach Greinke (1-5) in the second.

Greinke settled down after the second, allowing two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The former AL Cy Young Award winner exited with a runner on second.

UP NEXT

RHP Lucas Giolito (2-3, 3.86 ERA) looks to continue a solid run for Chicago, while Kansas City RHP Jordan Lyles (0-7, 7.14) seeks his first win. Giolito has a 2.82 ERA in his past seven outings.