HOUSTON -- The two-month search for a collective approach ended against a pitcher that punishes lineups without one. The Houston Astros appeared among them across this subpar second half, one derailed by suspect swing decisions, dismal run production and an absence of situational hitting.

Facing Jacob deGrom should not be the solution. He is a five-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young winner who wields some of the sport's nastiest stuff. "I feel like we could have the best plan going up against him and he'd still dominate," leadoff man Jeremy Peña acknowledged.

Eleven days ago, deGrom abused the Astros with his slider. According to Baseball Savant's run value metric, no American League starting pitcher has a better one. Houston whiffed on 16 of its 28 swings against deGrom's slider on Sept. 6. Peña provided the first during deGrom's first pitch of the game at Globe Life Field.

Just two American League lineups have a lower batting average against sliders than the .219 clip Houston had mustered across its first 152 games. Peña has long been susceptible to the pitch, posting at least a 35 percent whiff rate against it during each of the past two seasons.

Beginning Wednesday's game with one felt automatic. deGrom spun one down and away. Peña kept the bat on his shoulders.

"From then on," manager Joe Espada said, "we just built our approach."

What ensued is the most encouraging development of these past three days. Houston drained deGrom like few pitchers it has all season. Peña and Jose Altuve both struck home runs against him, but Houston's entire lineup showed the type of approach it often advertises but fails to apply with any consistency.

Doing so against an ace of deGrom's caliber must offer some hope for repeating it when facing others of his ilk in a potential playoff series. Defeating deGrom and the Texas Rangers on Wednesday made October a more obvious reality. Houston's victory secured the season series and, more importantly, the tiebreaker over its intrastate rival.

Seattle's loss to Kansas City allowed the Astros to take a half-game lead in the American League West prior to this weekend's seismic series at Daikin Park. That Houston scored 17 runs in three games against a Rangers pitching staff that sported baseball's lowest ERA must count as encouraging.

"If we force them to come into the zone, we know we're a great hitting team," Peña said. "It's a matter of getting good pitches to hit. Pitchers are tough. Baseball is hard. Hitting is hard. But if you start expanding, it gets even harder. We try to make it easier on ourselves and swing at better pitches."

Keeping company with the Colorado Rockies is never comforting, but only they chase outside the strike zone at a higher rate than the Astros. Losing the discerning eyes of both Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker this winter did not help. Nor did Isaac Paredes' severe right hamstring strain in mid-July or the 102 games Yordan Alvarez has missed due to injuries.

Those that remain must compensate in their absence. Bringing Carlos Correa back at the trade deadline offered a new set of eyes and one of baseball's best minds within Houston's hitters meetings. Since his arrival in August, Correa has called for a better "collective approach."

On Wednesday, he received it. The Astros handed deGrom his worst start of the season, scoring five runs while seeing 92 pitches across five frames. They chased outside the strike zone just 27 percent of the time while deGrom worked. During their last meeting, Houston expanded 37 percent of the time.

"We were going to make him (come) close to us. We have to see him up and really make this guy throw this ball over the plate," Espada said. "He's one of the best pitchers in the game, so I'm proud of our effort and how we went about our business."

No lineup in the sport swings at the first pitch of an at-bat more frequently than Houston's and only three have seen a lower percentage of 2-0 or 3-0 counts. Just the Miami Marlins average fewer pitches per plate appearance than the 3.75 seen by the Astros.

On Wednesday, Houston saw 17 pitches before making its first out against deGrom. The 35 pitches deGrom threw during the first inning matched his most in any frame this season -- and all but guaranteed he would not work deep into the game.

Houston fouled off 13 pitches in the first inning. Five came in two-strike counts. Correa spoiled three of them before pulling an infield single into the six-hole, part of a nine-pitch at-bat that helped to doom deGrom.

The next two hitters struck out, but such is life when facing someone with such nasty stuff. Christian Walker, one of the punchout victims, still saw seven pitches prior to doing so. Of the next 10 pitches deGrom threw, three were sliders. Houston swung at one of them: a hanger that Yainer Diaz hammered into center field for a two-run single.

"That's what it's all about. Knowing what he's trying to do and taking away some of the things he's trying to do out there and use it to our advantage," Correa said. "It started with Peña setting the tone and everybody following."

The five runs deGrom surrendered matched his season-high. He pitched on four days' rest for the first time since July 12 and, after finishing the fifth, crossed the 165-inning threshold for the season. deGrom threw 197 1/3 during the past four seasons combined, a stretch in which he underwent his second Tommy John surgery.

Fatigue from such a drastic increase in workload is inevitable. Throwing on four days' rest for the sixth time all season can alter the stuff. To ignore either fact is disingenuous, but this is the same pitcher who had permitted fewer than three earned runs in each of his past six starts.

"He's the golden standard of a great pitcher. He's got the stuff plus elite command," Correa said. "We were able to do a great job tonight, but you know how baseball is. Every day is different. We have to attack the next series with the same intent, same approach, same preparation and do what we're supposed to do."

As Correa insinuates, one excellent five-inning stretch is not a total elixir. The Astros still own a .309 on-base percentage since the All-Star break. Only seven teams boast a worse one. Five lineups have a lower OPS than Houston's .690 mark across the past 57 games.

None, however, boast the sort of belief Houston possesses after solving one of baseball's best pitchers.

"We have great energy right now," Peña said. "I feel like the team is in a great spot right now. We're confident. We trust our guys and we feel like we can play with anybody."

Against Jacob deGrom, Astros find their 'collective approach' and catapult into first place