A much-needed series win for the Cleveland Guardians as they get ready to play host to divisional foe

The vibes were certainly not great on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario before this past weekend's series began. The once robust divisional lead of the Cleveland Guardians had shrunk to a minuscule level, and with an upcoming series against one of the teams chasing them in the standings, a series win over the visiting Texas Rangers was an absolute must.

It was a rocky start on Friday night, as the Guardians dropped the first of their three games with the Rangers. The good thing here is that a series is comprised of more than just one game. Cleveland knew that if they were going to come out on top against Texas in this series, they were going to need to channel the offensive output they were able to produce earlier this season, and channel they did.

The Guardians exploded for a 13-5 win on Saturday, and that was mostly thanks to the long ball. Cleveland launched four homers in the contest, propelling them to an easy victory. Teeing off on Rangers pitching, combined with an excellent start from Ben Lively (6.2 IP, 3 RA, 5 H), was more than enough for Cleveland to force a decisive rubber match on Sunday.

While the offensive output on Sunday did not match that of Saturday, they were able to accomplish something they have been missing for quite some time. Cleveland got on the board first and even added a run before Texas could answer. They would then tack on a couple of runs late, which preserved the save opportunity for Emmanuel Clase to promptly come in and shut the door, securing the series win.

At 75-55, the Guardians hold a three-game lead in the American League Central over both the Minnesota Twins and Royals. Having a multiple-game lead while being set to begin a four-game series on Monday against Kansas City is huge. It provides the Guardians with a little extra buffer if things do not go according to plan. This could prove useful, considering the Royals have been on a hot streak lately while Cleveland has been struggling to keep their head above water in the second half. Either way, the Guardians coming into this upcoming series off this past weekend's performance is a lot more encouraging than some of the doom-and-gloom scenarios that were making the rounds.

Now, Cleveland has the chance to extend their lead in the division and solidify their status as one of the best teams in baseball by taking care of business against the visiting Royals, beginning with Monday's doubleheader.