Guardians complete sweep of Cubs

The Cleveland Guardians took on the visiting Chicago Cubs to begin the week in a series that was a must-win for the home team. Taking two out of three was the bare minimum requirement for Cleveland if they were going to maintain their lead in the American League Central division and shake off any of the concerns about their previous seven-game losing streak. The Guardians were more than ready for their matchup with Chicago, sweeping the Cubs in their three-game set.

It was the contributions of some unlikely heroes that propelled the Guardians to their impressive performance against Chicago. Impressive starts from Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb that very few people, if anyone, saw coming paved the way for the Guardians' offense to do their thing.

The contributions from unexpected sources were not limited to the pitching staff in this series. Jhonkensy "Big Christmas" Noel proved to be a difference-maker against the Cubs. Noel racked up four hits, including three home runs, while driving in five runs against Chicago, as the rookie slugger continues to show he is worthy of more playing time.

With the sweep of Chicago and some help from the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, the Guardians now own a 4.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. Things were starting to get a little hairy in the Central with Cleveland's seven-game slide, including two against Minnesota at the start of their four-game series this past weekend. The Guardians have since recovered and reestablished a somewhat comfortable lead in the division with their current five-game win streak.

Even though seeing the Guardians come back to life over the last five games has been very encouraging, they cannot afford to let up. Just like when they were in the midst of their losing streak, Cleveland must look forward to their next matchup, a three-game series in Milwaukee beginning on Friday following Thursday's off day. The Brewers are a much better team and should provide a stiffer test than the reeling Cubs.