Reds prospect Tyler Mahle had already thrown a no-hitter in the Minor Leagues. This time he was perfect.

Mahle threw a perfect game for Double-A Pensacola on Saturday night, the first nine-inning perfect game in the Southern League since 1970.

MILB Video - Title: Mahle completes perfect game - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314354283

"My stuff wasn't technically perfect tonight," Mahle told MiLB.com. "My slider, I threw a lot of those up some of them backed up, I threw my changeup well, I want to have a curveball. … I mean, I have one, but I don't throw it very often, so I mean there was a lot of stuff to work on. It could have been better. I'm not getting greedy, but you could always get better."

The 22-year-old right-hander, ranked as Cincinnati's No. 10 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, completely dominated the Mobile BayBears, the Angels' Double-A affiliate. He struck out eight and needed just 88 pitches, sealing the perfecto by getting Angels No. 29 prospect Caleb Adams to ground out back to him to end the game.

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"It happened so quick. I just threw the ball as hard as I can over the plate and I got the ball so quick in my glove," Mahle added. "I looked up and [first baseman Eric Jagielo] was standing there with his wide eyes and that was it."

To put Mahle's 88-pitch effort in perspective, only one of the 23 perfect games in Major League history has required fewer pitches. In 1908, Cleveland's Addie Joss needed just 74 pitches to shut out the White Sox, 1-0. Since then, Only Philadelphia's Jim Bunning and Yankees right-hander David Cone have achieved the feat with fewer than 90 pitches. Bunning threw 89 in his perfect game against the Mets in 1964, and Cone needed just 88 in his 1999 gem vs. Montreal.

Mahle pitched a no-hitter for Class A Advanced Daytona on June 13 of last season against the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Marlins' affiliate. The only baserunner he allowed in that game was on a hit-by-pitch.

The Reds' seventh-round pick in 2013, Mahle improved to 4-0 on the season and lowered his ERA to 0.68. In 26 2/3 innings, he has allowed just two runs on seven hits and five walks while striking out 27. The 6-foot-3 righty has been remarkably consistent, throwing 86 pitches in each of his first two starts and 88 in his next two. He threw 55 strikes in each of the first three outings, 68 in the perfect game.