Minor League Perfect Game
Thomas Pannone Throws First Minor League Perfect Game Since 2017
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Key Points
1
Pannone’s perfecto was the third in Nashville Sounds history, following John Wasdin’s 2003 game and Manny Parra’s 2007 gem.
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Pannone entered the game with a 5-3 record and a 4.23 ERA for Nashville this season; in his only major-league appearance of the year, he allowed three hits and two earned runs over three innings against the San Francisco Giants on July 29.
3
The eight-strikeout performance included strikeouts of MLB veterans Nick Madrigal and Jack Suwinski.
4
Pannone previously carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his 2018 major-league debut with Toronto and threw an immaculate inning against Tampa Bay in 2019, striking out the side on nine pitches.
5
A ninth-round pick by Cleveland in 2013 out of the College of Southern Nevada, Pannone spent several years in the Minors and served a PED suspension before reaching the Majors with Toronto in 2018.
Thomas Pannone threw a perfect game Monday night, retiring all 27 batters as the Triple-A Nashville Sounds beat the Durham Bulls 3-0. The 32-year-old left-hander struck out eight, threw 94 pitches, and sealed the historic feat with consecutive strikes in the ninth. WSMV reported it was the first solo, nine-inning perfect game in the Minors since 2017.
Pannone's achievement marks only the fifth perfect game in International League history and the third in Nashville Sounds history. Yahoo Sports noted the left-hander recently returned to Milwaukee's rotation after missing 2025 with a torn flexor tendon, and struck out MLB veterans Nick Madrigal and Jack Suwinski during the masterpiece.
A Remarkable Night Against Durham
Pannone took the mound with Nashville's offense already giving him a 3-0 lead. He needed just 94 pitches to retire the entire Durham lineup. Providence Journal highlighted that the performance required precision: 61 strikes out of 94 total pitches, with eight strikeouts showing he dominated the zone rather than just throwing strikes.
The ninth inning proved most dramatic. Pannone struck out the final batter on back-to-back pitches to complete the feat. This was his first game back in the Minors after a July 29 major-league appearance against San Francisco, where he allowed three hits and two earned runs over three innings.
A Rare Achievement in Minor League History
Only four other pitchers have thrown solo nine-inning perfect games in the International League since 1884. Yahoo Sports Canada confirmed Pannone joined that exclusive club. His achievement breaks a drought: no other minor-league pitcher threw a solo perfect game in the nine full years between 2017 and 2025.
Nashville itself has thrown three perfect games in franchise history. John Wasdin accomplished the feat in 2003 and Manny Parra in 2007, before Pannone's Monday masterpiece. The rarity underscores Pannone's control and consistency throughout nine innings against professional hitters.
A Long Road Back for Pannone
Pannone entered Monday with a 5-3 record and 4.23 ERA for Nashville this season. A ninth-round pick by Cleveland in 2013, he spent years climbing through the Minors, played in Korea's professional league, and served a PED suspension before his 2018 major-league debut with Toronto. The Crag and Canyon noted his career has spanned multiple organizations and setbacks.
The left-hander has shown flashes of brilliance before. In 2018, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his MLB debut. In 2019, he threw an immaculate inning against Tampa Bay, striking out the side on just nine pitches. Monday's perfect game capped a remarkable comeback from his 2025 injury.
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