In a historic performance for Nashville baseball fans, veteran left‑hander Thomas Pannone delivered the International League’s fifth nine‑inning perfect game on Monday afternoon. Pitching for the Nashville Sounds, Pannone retired all 27 batters of the host Durham Bulls, using just 94 pitches and fanning eight hitters, including MLB veterans Nick Madrigal and Jack Suwinski.
Perfect game milestones
The perfect game places Pannone among an elite group of International League pitchers. Prior to his achievement, only four others had completed a nine‑inning perfect game: Dick Marlowe (1952) of the Buffalo Bisons, Tomo Ohka (2000) of Pawtucket, Bronson Arroyo (2003) of Pawtucket, and Justin Germano (2011) of the Columbus Clippers.
Impact on Pannone’s season
With the performance, Pannone improved his season record to 5‑3 and lowered his earned‑run average to 4.23 for the Sounds. His lone major‑league appearance this year came on July 29, when he started for the Milwaukee Brewers against the San Francisco Giants, allowing three hits and two earned runs over three innings.
Career background
Across his major‑league career, Pannone has compiled a 7‑8 record with a 5.47 ERA in 51 appearances (14 starts) for the Toronto Blue Jays (2018‑19) and the Brewers (2023, 2026). The perfect game adds a remarkable highlight to his professional résumé and underscores the depth of talent in Triple‑A baseball.
What this means for Nashville fans
The Sounds’ 3‑0 win not only secures a rare baseball milestone but also energizes the Nashville community, reinforcing the team’s role as a source of local pride and family‑friendly entertainment. As the season progresses, fans will be eager to see if Pannone can translate this dominance into continued success for the club.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
