It has always been there for the taking.

Now the Astros just have to take it.

After 137 games during their most important season in a decade, only 25 contests remain for the team that just won't go away. There's an 11-day, 10-game road trip against the AL West that could define their year. There are 22 consecutive division games that should either propel A.J. Hinch's club into the postseason for the first time since 2005 or finally end the magic that's been igniting since April.

It's September baseball at its best. It's when the 2015 Astros will truly either live or die.

"We control our own destiny," lefthander Scott Kazmir said.

It's an overused line. It's also the truth for a sometimes unexplainable squad that collected its 75th win and 131st day either holding or tied for first place on Star Wars Day at an almost packed Minute Maid Park.

There were 37,648 kids, parents, fans and Jedis who showed up on another hot Sunday in downtown Houston, then saw Crush City club seven runs on two late-inning longballs.

Jed Lowrie's 383-foot blast into the right-field stands captured all of the force. The two-time Astro turned a 2-1, two-out changeup into a game-changing grand slam. Lowrie's electrifying at-bat was preceded by a true September goosebump moment: Jose Altuve receiving a roaring standing ovation, just for slowly walking to the plate with the bases loaded and win No. 75 on the line.

Break down the Astros' disappointing recent attendance all you want. But everyone under one roof knew exactly what was at stake after watching former Bellaire/Rice star righthander Tyler Duffey hold the home team scoreless for six-plus.

You wonder and worry about the Astros. You question whether they really have enough. They answer with all that matters on September 6: Still first in the AL West, three games ahead of the other team in Texas.

"We've been in a good place all year," Lowrie said. "We do have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We're pretty good at eliminating distractions and that'll be doubly important during the last month."

Ah, that last precious month. The Astros are guaranteed Oct. 4. After that, they're either dancing in the postseason or insisting that no one ever expected them to be in the playoffs this year, so missing out really isn't that bad.

But they do want it. Bad.

That became clear when general manager Jeff Luhnow sold off a small piece of the farm for Carlos Gomez, Mike Fiers and Kazmir just before the non-waiver trade deadline. It crystallizes with every comeback, walk-off and buzzing day at Minute Maid, where the year just keeps getting better and the stories won't stop.

If the Astros are good enough, they'll do it. If they're strong enough, they'll finally figure out a way to win on the road – or at least return to Houston on Sept. 18 still in first place.

"Our guys are playing hard. That's to be expected – it's our style of play," Hinch said. "This time of year, we are locked in on every pitch."

Two days ago, A.J. Hinch sat inside the home dugout and tried to explain how everything had clicked at once when no one expected it to.

Sunday, the man running the show insisted the Astros are ready for their brightest lights of the year. And they have no desire to watch the grand thing suddenly end.

brian.smith@chron.com

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