The National League’s hottest team at the moment attempts to continue its sizzling recent play this evening at Shea Stadium, where the surging New York Mets host the Houston Astros for a second straight night.

The Mets have vaulted to the top of the NL East standings by winning 10 of their last 11 games, including Friday’s 3-0 blanking of the Astros in the opener of this three-game series. New York currently sports a 2 1/2-game advantage on rival Philadelphia for first place in the division.

Johan Santana fired seven shutout innings last night to win his fifth consecutive decision, while Brian Schneider had a two-run homer to power the New York offense.

Santana (12-7) scattered eight hits and walked just one batter while striking out five. Recently-acquired Luis Ayala threw a perfect ninth to record his first save as a Met.

New York also welcomed Ryan Church back to the lineup for the outfielder’s first major league action since July 5. Church has played in only 58 games this year after experiencing recurring symptoms from a concussion sustained in May.

Roy Oswalt (11-9) went the distance for the Astros in a losing cause, with the ace right-hander allowing three early runs but just four hits over his eight- inning stint.

Ty Wigginton had two of Houston’s eight hits in the club’s fifth loss over its last seven games.

The Astros hope to fare better tonight against New York’s John Maine, but that may not be an easy task considering the way the right-hander has pitched as of late.

Since returning from a short stint on the disabled list, Maine has not allowed a run in consecutive five-inning outings against Washington and Pittsburgh. He yielded just one hit and fanned six to beat the Nationals on August 13, then gave up only two hits in a no-decision against the Pirates this past Monday.

The 27-year-old has also excelled in his three career encounters with Houston, having won every one of those tests and surrendering a mere four runs and 12 hits over a combined 23 innings.

Maine will be making his first start at Shea Stadium, where he’s 5-1 with a 3.99 earned run average in 10 games this year, since he downed the Phillies with seven innings of three-run ball on July 23.

Houston sends out the erratic Brandon Backe this evening. The oft-injured righty was shelled for 11 runs and three homers in an awful 5 2/3-inning showing during his most recent start, which came against Atlanta on August 16.

Prior to that poor effort, Backe held San Francisco to one run and four hits through seven frames to pick up a win on August 11. That came five days after he was battered for 11 runs and walked six batters while lasting just 3 1/3 innings in a loss at Wrigley Field.

Backe owns a 1-2 record with a 5.18 ERA in six career games (4 starts) against New York. He had a no-decision against the Mets in Houston on August 1, a game in which the 30-year-old surrendered three runs in six innings.

The Astros swept a three-game set from the Mets at Minute Maid Park earlier this month, but Houston has lost four straight and six of its last seven matchups at Shea Stadium.

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