The defending World Series champions, overtaken by two teams in their division this season, were shoved to the edge of elimination from the AL playoff race as Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings in Cleveland's 14-1 win Monday night.

One season after they ended an 88-year title drought by storming through October, the White Sox might have to watch the post-season unfold this fall along with 22 other teams.

Chicago's most lopsided loss of the season meant a win by Minnesota at home over Kansas City would ensure the Twins of a post-season berth _ and eliminate the White Sox.

Casey Blake hit a grand slam _ Cleveland's major league record-tying 14th this season _ to highlight an eight-run sixth inning that finished off Jon Garland (17-7) and the White Sox on this night _ and maybe for all of 2006.

After adding Jim Thome to their already powerful lineup during the winter, Chicago came into the year picked by most to make another run at a championship. But things didn't go well from the start.

The White Sox first found themselves chasing the surprising Detroit Tigers and then couldn't keep pace with the Twins, who passed them in the final few weeks and haven't looked back since.

Chicago was done in by its shaky bullpen and what so far is a 9-15 record in September.

``It was a bunch of different things, errors, strikeouts and lately we struggled as a team to put everything together,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said before the series opener. ``We weren't consistent.''

Lee (13-11) limited the White Sox to one run and four hits.

The Indians, whose season was as disappointing as Chicago's, had the satisfaction of possibly ending the White Sox's post-season hopes. A year ago, the opposite was true as the White Sox swept a three-game series from Cleveland on the final weekend of the season to end the Indians' playoff quest.

After Guillen pulled Garland and headed back to the dugout, fans seated near the field mimicked the choking gesture Chicago's animated manager made toward them as the Indians collapsed in 2005.

Just as the Twins and Royals were getting underway in Minneapolis, the White Sox made two errors on one play in the fifth, helping the Indians score twice and open a 6-1 lead.

Jason Michaels walked leading off and Victor Martinez dropped a single in front of center fielder Brian Anderson, who misplayed the ball and let it roll by. Michaels scored all the way from first and when Jermaine Dye's one-hop throw was mishandled by shortstop Juan Uribe, Martinez went to third.

One out later, Shin-Soo Choo's sacrifice fly made it 6-1.

The Indians blew it open in the sixth against Garland, who came in with a major league-leading 11 road wins. Andy Marte had a run-scoring double, Martinez hit an RBI single and Garko doubled in two.

Garland was rocked for 12 runs, eight earned, and 12 hits in 5 1-3 innings.

With one out in the sixth, Blake connected for his slam off reliever Boone Logan as the Indians tied the major league record for slams in a season. They share it with the 2000 Oakland Athletics.

Before the game, Guillen lamented Chicago's lack of fundamentals as one of the biggest reasons the White Sox might not make the playoffs. And in the first, a blown play at the plate led to Cleveland scoring three unearned runs.

With one out, Michaels singled and went to third on Martinez's base hit. Garko followed with a routine grounder to third baseman Joe Crede, who threw home in plenty of time to get Michaels.

However, catcher A.J. Pierzynski let the ball pop out of his glove. The error was then compounded when Choo's hard grounder toward right got past second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, scoring Martinez.

Blake's grounder then made it 3-1, and Joe Inglett's RBI single gave Lee a 4-1 advantage after one.

The White Sox scored in their first at-bat on Thome's sacrifice fly.

Notes: Guillen credited manager Jim Leyland's arrival with helping turn the Tigers around. ``He gave them the best chance to win games and did some good things for their clubhouse,'' he said. Guillen, though, said Detroit's talent was the biggest difference-maker and poked fun at any manager's contribution. ``I've seen a lot of bad managers win the World Series,'' he said. ``You are talking to one.'' ... The Indians have scored at least nine runs a baseball-best 27 times. ... With Dye (43), Thome (42), Paul Konerko (35) and Crede (30), the White Sox have four players with 30 or more homers for the first time. ... Garland went over the 200-inning plateau for the third straight season.