Brewers Minor League Link Report (9/7): Just One Game, but Thomas Pannone Made It a Perfect One

Heck, earlier in the day, we were debating whether we'd have a formal Link Report for Monday's lone game. Thomas Pannone made the decision for us.

Transactions: 

• Milwaukee Brewers recalled RHP Brandon Sproat from Nashville Sounds.
• Nashville Sounds activated SS Freddy Zamora from the 7-day injured list.

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 3, Durham (Rays) 0
Box Score and Game Log

Via the Sounds Cory Hilborne, Communications Manager - in this case, Cory's text is also copied below:

Thomas Pannone Tosses Third Perfect Game in Sounds History - Fifth Individual 9-Inning Perfect Game in International League History

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 an RBI single in third (video) and added a solo shot in the top of the eighth inning to bookend the scoring (video).

Nashville and Durham will resume their six-game series on Wednesday night after an off day tomorrow.

Before we focus further on Pannone, the Sounds' second run, from the 4th inning, so in between the Eduardo Garcia highlight clips, was this odd play, some of which we don't fully see. Ringing RBI double for catcher Ramon Rodriguez, a lumbering Jeferson Quero is thrown out at the plate, but the Durham catcher then tries to nab Rodriguez at third base, and the errant throw allows Rodriguez to score.

Congratulations, of course, goes to Rodriguez for guiding Pannone and his maximum 91.2 MPH "fastball" in this one.

The fact that this game was played Monday was a bit unique - Manager Rick Sweet is always a fantastic interview, and in Sunday's pre-game chat with Voice of the Sounds Jeff Hem, he provides some injury updates, but also ironically has fun with the fact that the Sounds' schedule was impacted on his birthday, and well, we love us some Rick Sweet. Enjoy the six minutes (Apple, Spotify).

Pannone, his family and friends, and all of us fans, caught a break as to how this game will be archived for posterity:

Back to Jeff Hem for a moment, we asked if his call will be made available, it seems we can look forward to eventually being able to hear at least the game-ending play for this road game at some point, and surely Jeff will grab Thomas for an interview this week (all Nashville pre-game interviews are released the following Monday).

Everything we've seen and read about the Durham staff and crowd confirms how congratulatory and accommodating they were:

Honestly, how many of us had any idea that a pitching rubber was this thick and massive?

Guess what, Durham? You are scheduled to get an encore! Guess who is lined up to pitch the sixth game of this series on a full five days' rest on Sunday? Watch out, Johnny Vander Meer!

Allow me to continue the "old school" theme with a bit of history:

I had considered chatting with my fellow Link Reporter @Ro Mueller as to how if and how we were going to Link Report Monday's game. On Tuesday Biloxi has the only farm team game on the docket. Would we combine the two into a single report Wednesday AM? Well, Sir Thomas certainly made the decision for us. The Shuckers show TBD for Tuesday in Pensacola. Good luck topping Monday's effort, Mr. TBD.

Here's our Minor League Forum thread from Monday. Before the fun from Durham, contributing poster @Tedaldtadaentertained us with statistical breakdowns galore from the system.

Thanks for visiting, hope you started your work commute early enough today for the extra traffic as summer, sadly, in many ways, has come to pass. The scoreboard link below is for Tuesday.

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