Thomas Pannone, a former Major League pitcher, threw a nine-inning perfect game on Monday night, leading the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to a 3-0 victory over the Durham Bulls. Pannone retired all 27 batters he faced on just 94 pitches, marking the first nine-inning, single-pitcher perfect game in Minor League Baseball since 2017. It is also the fifth solo perfect game in the 142-year history of the International League.
Pannone, a 32-year-old left-hander, recorded nine shutout innings with no hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts. The game featured a tense moment in the bottom of the ninth when Pannone faced the 27th batter with the Sounds holding a 3-0 lead. He battled back from a potential walk to secure the final out and complete the perfect game.
This achievement adds to Pannone's notable pitching history. During his time with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2018 to 2019, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his Major League debut and threw an immaculate inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019. Since leaving Toronto in 2020, Pannone has pitched in various minor league systems and had a stint in the Korean Baseball Organization. He made a spot start for the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the summer, his first MLB appearance in three years, before returning to Triple-A.
Pannone's performance suggests another opportunity in the major leagues may be within reach.