NASHVILLE *(September 4, 2026*) – Left-hander Thomas Pannone etched his name into baseball history on Monday night, tossing the fifth individual 9-inning perfect game in International League history. He became the first player in the minors to toss an individual 9-inning perfect game since Dominic Mazza on April 25, 2017.
Pannone struck out eight Durham batters and completed the feat on just 94 pitches (61 strikes). He didn't toss more than 12 pitches in any inning. With the first 26 outs under his belt, Pannone worked a 3-0 count to Homer Bush Jr. in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the first three-ball count since the second inning for Pannone. After landing a fastball on the outer half of the plate for strike one, Pannone got Bush Jr. to ground out to Eduardo Garcia at shortstop who fired the ball to Blake Burke at first base for the final out.
It's the third perfect game in Nashville Sounds history as Pannone joins LHP Manny Parra and RHP John Wasdin. Parra completed his perfect game on June 25, 2007, at Round Rock while Wasdin tossed the first in team history on April 7, 2003, vs. Albuquerque. The fourth perfect game in Nashville's baseball history belongs to Tom Rogers for the Nashville Vols in 1916.
Entering Monday's start, Pannone had worked a career-high 8.0 IP on July 19, 2018, vs. Durham when he was with Triple-A Buffalo. In 2022, Pannone carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his first career Major League start with Toronto on August 22 vs. Baltimore.
He is the first International League pitcher to toss an individual 9-inning perfect game since Justin Germano for Columbus on July 26, 2011, at Syracuse. Bronson Arroyo did it for Pawtucket on August 10, 2003, and Tomo Ohka also recorded a perfect game for Pawtucket on June 1, 2000. The first 9-inning individual perfect game in International League history was tossed by Chet Carmichael for Buffalo on August 9, 1910.
Pannone also worked four scoreless in his last start against the Louisville Bats last Tuesday night, giving him 13.0 IP without allowing a run over his last two starts.
Garcia fielded the final out and chipped in at the plate with one of the four multi-hit performances for Nashville offensively as the Sounds had nine hits and one walk at the plate. Garcia put Nashville in front with a RBI single in third and added a solo shot in the top of the eighth inning to bookend the scoring.
Nashville and Durham will resume their six-game series on Wednesday night after an off day tomorrow.