KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- His farewell act in a Boston uniform encapsulated his turbulent 1 1/2-year run as the closer. Entrusted with a lead, Heathcliff Slocumb couldn't hold it -- or his job.

After Slocumb's travails in the bottom of the 10th had enabled the Kansas City Royals to overtake the Red Sox, 3-2, last night, he was shipped to the Seattle Mariners for a pair of prospects, just minutes before baseball's midnight trade deadline.

(Jason) Varitek, a former No. 1 draft choice who was a teammate of Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra at Georgia Tech, was batting .254 with 15 homers and 48 RBIs at Triple A Tacoma. He's 6 feet 2 inches, 210 pounds, and a switch hitter.