It is one of baseball’s oldest sayings: “This is a must-win series” – and it is usually reserved for the final weeks or even final days of the season, certainly not on May 8. But unfortunately there is another saying in baseball, one that the Dodgers best take to heart: “You can’t win a pennant in April, but you can sure lose one.” Now granted, it is no longer April, but the Dodgers might want to add “May” to that winning and losing the pennant thing.

While the Dodgers were able to escaped April with a mediocre 15-12 record (.556), their archrival San Francisco Giants finished the month with a 17-11 record (.654). But since May 1 the Dodgers are 4-4 and have dropped to third place in the NL West while the Giants have gone 4-2 and are now tied with the suddenly hot Colorado Rockies for first place in the division 2.5 games ahead of the Dodgers.

As every Dodger fan knows, the Dodgers kickoff a four-games series against The Hated Ones at Dodger Stadium tonight, and even though it is only May 8, it truly is a ‘must-win’ series for the Dodgers.

Why?

Because it is the only four-game series against the Giants this season and there will be no better opportunity for the Dodgers to catch and overtake the Giants than during this series.

A series split would keep the Dodgers right where they are at 2.5 back and taking three of four would put them up by .5; whereas a sweep would put the Dodgers up by 1.5 games. On the other hand, losing three of four will land the Dodgers 5.5 GB and (Heaven forbid) a Giants sweep would put the Dodgers at 6.5 back and dangerously close to the Padres and Diamondbacks for last place in the division – and this doesn’t even take into account the Rockies. Perhaps this puts that “must-win” thing into better perspective.

Obviously a sweep of the Giants is a monumental task for the Dodgers, especially when you consider that the Dodgers are a paltry 6-9 at Dodger Stadium this season while the Giants are 11-8 away from AT&T Park. Another uncomfortable fact is that the Giants have already won four of the six meetings against the Dodgers this season.

The Dodgers have beaten the Giants only once at Dodger Stadium this season, due primarily to a tremendous offensive outburst by Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez, who both homered twice in the April 6 game. They were helped by outstanding pitching performances from Zack Greinke, Chris Withrow, J.P. Howell, Chris Perez and Kenley Jansen for a 6-2 win. Unfortunately the Giants, who entered the three-game series at Dodger Stadium trailing the Dodgers by .5 in the NL West standings, won the other two games and left town .5 ahead of the Dodgers.

Chris Perez’s strikeout of 2012 NL MVP Buster Posey to end the 8th inning with Pablo Sandoval on first base was the crushing blow in the Dodgers 6-2 win over the Giants on April 6. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although nobody wishes an injury on any player, a bit of misfortune might cause the Dodgers to miss Giants ace Matt Cain in this series. Cain suffered a freak injury last week when he cut the index finger on his right (throwing) hand while making a sandwich. As it stands right now, the Dodgers will face Ryan Vogelsong, Madison Bumgarner, Cain’s spot (possibly filled by Yusmeiro Petit)  and Tim Hudson. The Dodgers will counter with Josh Beckett, Paul Maholm, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. There is little doubt that all four games will be extremely intense and hard-fought (as are most Dodgers-Giants games), but Dodgers fans have to feel pretty good about their team’s chances in the final two games of the series.

As a side note and just to add a little more excitement to the series (as if any more were necessary), should Cain make his scheduled start on Saturday, he will face Zack Greinke, who beat him on April 6.

Even though this four-game series is not a ‘win-or-go-home’ series, it is huge and a golden opportunity for the Dodgers to regain control of the NL West.