In today’s roundup: a baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Seattle Mariners ended with the visitors winning 4-2 thanks to a home run by Suarez and an excellent pitching performance from Burns. In Seattle, meanwhile, a police operation called “Red Card” was carried out, resulting in the arrest of 17 repeat offenders and the seizure of 12 weapons, including modified firearms.
Reds take down the Mariners: Suarez and Burns in the spotlight
Yesterday’s game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Seattle Mariners ended with a convincing 4-2 victory for the visitors. The key moment was a home run by Eugenio Suarez, hit in the fourth inning off his former club. Suarez, who spent part of three seasons with the Mariners, took the first fastball from starting pitcher Luis Castillo and delivered a solo shot, extending the Reds’ lead to 2-0. That home run was the 203rd of Suarez’s career with Cincinnati, allowing him to tie Eric Davis for 10th place on the club’s all-time home run list. As noted in an ESPN report, Suarez continues to play at a high level even at his age—especially valuable for a team fighting for a playoff spot.
But the evening’s main star was pitcher Chase Burns, who just three days earlier had signed a record seven-year deal worth $105 million. Burns (12 wins and one loss) threw five scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, striking out six, and issuing just one walk. Notably, the Mariners were able to advance a runner to a scoring position only twice during the game when Burns was on the mound. That result is especially telling given that Burns is an All-Star and one of the most promising young pitchers in the league. His contract is not only recognition of his achievements, but also a serious bet on the club’s future—one that is already starting to pay off.
The Reds struck early—starting in the first inning when Ellie De La Cruz hit a leading home run, the eighth of his career. For those unfamiliar with baseball terminology: a “leading home run” means the batter hits it while at-bat as the first batter of the inning, putting the team ahead immediately. Then in the fifth inning, Sal Stewart drove in another run with a sacrifice fly—when the out is recorded, but the runner on third base is able to tag home after the outfielder makes the catch. And in the ninth inning, Nathaniel Lowe capped the advantage with a solo home run.
On the Mariners’ side, Luis Castillo (3 wins, 9 losses) deserves mention. He worked seven innings, his best outing of the season. However, the Mariners struggled to find answers against the opponent’s defense for long stretches. It wasn’t until the seventh inning that Weston Wilson cut the deficit with a home run, and in the eighth inning Julio Rodriguez, who began the match on the bench after being replaced in the previous game, added another solo shot. It didn’t matter, though—Emilio Pagan handled the ninth inning confidently, giving the opponents no opportunities (“1-2-3 inning”) and recording his eighth save of the season.
It’s also worth noting that the Mariners were without shortstop J.P. Crawford due to wrist pain, while Spencer Steer did not play for the Reds after being hit by a pitch in the ribs in the previous meeting. While these injuries didn’t prove decisive, they could have affected the depth of the lineups.
Tomorrow, the teams will meet in the final game of the series. The Mariners will send Emerson Hancock to the mound (6-4, ERA 3.17), and the Reds will counter with Brady Singer (4-9, ERA 4.56). This game could be pivotal for both teams: Cincinnati is trying to solidify its spot near the top of the division, while Seattle desperately needs wins to avoid falling behind the wild-card contenders. For now, after this game, the Reds can boast not only a powerful offense, but also phenomenal starting pitching that justifies every cent spent on it.
“Red Card” operation: 17 arrests and seizure of weapons with criminal modifications during the FIFA World Cup in Seattle
As part of a large-scale interagency operation called “Red Card,” timed to matches of the FIFA World Cup in Seattle, law enforcement arrested 17 repeat offenders known for particular brutality. According to FOX 13 Seattle, the operation began back in April, with the active phase of arrests taking place from June 1 to July 6—exactly when the city was hosting hundreds of thousands of fans. The goal was not just a show of force, but targeted work against those who, for years, have terrorized entire neighborhoods.
FBI Special Agent Mike Herrington stressed that the operation was a coordinated response to the public’s demand for safety during large crowds. About 750,000 fans were expected to visit Seattle. The main focus was on “serial” offenders—people whose names locals regularly report to police, as Seattle Police Deputy Chief Andre Seyles noted. “These are the names you see in the reports too often, too often. When we combine our efforts against the most dangerous criminals in the community, big changes happen,” he said.
Of the 17 people arrested, 10 were referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO). Prosecutors brought charges in all 10 cases, laying out a total of roughly two dozen counts: assault, robbery, escape, extortion, theft, and unlawful imprisonment. Notably, 80% of the charges in one way or another are related to firearms. Nine suspects remain in custody (eight in jail, one at the Clallam Bay correctional center), and the tenth was placed under home arrest with electronic monitoring. Two more of the 17 have other pending criminal cases filed before the special operation began. The remaining detainees were turned over to a federal prosecutor or other agencies, or their cases are still being investigated. As part of the same sweep, authorities were also able to extradite two additional fugitives.
Particular attention was drawn to 12 weapons seized. Among them were several pistols that were unlawfully modified using so-called “switches.” These devices turn semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic ones, sharply increasing their lethality and potential danger to people nearby. ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) Special Agent Jonathan Blays said that all of the seized firearms passed ballistic testing in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). This is a database that links weapons to unsolved crimes using cartridge casings and bullets.
Although the “Red Card” operation was directly tied to the World Cup, the results were broader. During that same 30-day period, but under a separate mission, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized nearly 2.7 million fatal doses of fentanyl, as Special Agent Robert Sackone said. However, police clarified that this major find was not part of the main operation.
King County Sheriff’s Office Chief Kelly Park said he was confident that “Red Card” helped keep violence levels low despite the influx of visitors. “The rate of violent crimes during the matches here was significantly lower, and that is thanks to the operation.” Law enforcement officials have not yet confirmed whether the arrests directly led to a visible clearing of the city’s most problematic hotspots, such as the corridor on Third Avenue. When asked whether CCTV cameras helped track down suspects, Deputy Chief Seyles said he did has specific information about their use in these cases.
The operation ended along with the soccer matches, but officials emphasized that joint efforts to apprehend dangerous offenders across the region will continue. Given that serious crimes are often committed using modified weapons and amid drug trafficking, such interagency raids are not just a tactical option, but a necessity for maintaining order in growing megacities.
Operation Red Card: the quiet crackdown that helped secure the 2026 World Cup in Seattle
Ahead of and during the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Seattle, U.S. law enforcement carried out a large-scale operation that remained largely unnoticed by the public, code-named “Red Card” — “Красная карточка.” As reported by Yahoo News, this coordinated campaign lasted about five weeks and targeted the city’s most dangerous criminals, as well as the seizure of illegal weapons. Seattle Police Deputy Chief Andre Seyles said the tournament was “an astonishing time for our city,” adding that thanks to years of planning and targeted efforts to neutralize wrongdoers during the games, there were no serious incidents involving the public.
During the operation, police arrested 17 suspects that the department describes as among the region’s most violent repeat offenders. Police seized 12 firearms of various calibers, including pistols modified using so-called “switches” — devices that turn semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic ones. In effect, this is an illegal upgrade that allows firing in bursts, sharply increasing lethality and danger to those around. Two fugitives were also detained, wanted in other states—after which they were deported to Colorado and California for prosecution. Most of the remaining defendants are expected to stand trial in state court in King County, though some cases may be referred for federal prosecution.
The core of “Red Card” was unprecedented interagency cooperation. The operation involved the Seattle Police Department, the FBI, the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Washington State Patrol, the Department of Corrections, the U.S. Marshals Service, and both the county and federal prosecutor’s offices. FBI Special Agent Mike Harrington said preparations started as far back as April, when partners met to discuss and compiled a list of the most active criminals with arrest warrants or clear evidence. From June 1 to July 6, agencies worked under a single plan: sharing intelligence, preparing warrants, conducting surveillance, and making arrests. The FBI even sent temporary personnel to Seattle from other offices, strengthening local resources with digital forensics and assistance with border crossings.
Leaders emphasized that public safety is a “team sport.” Kelly Park, head of criminal investigations for the King County Sheriff’s Office, said her unit’s violence reduction team and analytical center spent hundreds of hours analyzing data, building operational case files, and planning safe arrests. The goal was precisely those people considered “the most aggressive criminals” in the region. And although “Red Card” was tied to the unique conditions of the World Cup—around 750,000 guests passed through Seattle—officials intend to make this partnership model permanent. They believe that coordination, reliance on intelligence, and shared resources will help in the future as well, in the fight against armed violence in the city. At the same time, ordinary residents also played a key role: Harrington called the public “our eyes and ears,” while the media served as a critical channel for spreading information about wanted criminals and criminal trends. In this way, the operation stayed out of sight for fans, yet allowed the city to host the tournament without major incidents—showing how quiet police work can produce a big win.
