Atlanta ? Billy Wagner knows the Atlanta Braves can’t take their slim division lead for granted. The 38-year-old closer likes how his team is playing, but the season isn’t even halfway complete.

“You can’t put enough ground between yourself and the other teams,” Wagner said. “We’ve got to continue to battle and get the lead as far as we can get it because there’s going to be a time where we hit a tough spell and there’s going to be a time when they’re hot.”

Eric Hinske’s two-run double broke an eighth-inning tie and Chipper Jones had three RBIs to help the Braves win their fifth straight game, 8-5 over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Melky Cabrera added an RBI single in the eighth off Blake Wood (0-1) for the Braves, who improved to 24-7 at home. Atlanta moved 21/2 games ahead of the second-place New York Mets in the NL East. Two-time defending NL champion Philadelphia is in third place, 51/2 games back.

Craig Kimbrel (2-0) earned the win by pitching a scoreless eighth, but it wasn’t easy. The right-hander loaded the bases on two walks and his own fielding error before striking out two and escaping the jam on Billy Butler’s popup.

Wagner struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.