CHICAGO -- The middle of the order has helped jump start the Detroit Tigers after a May-June swoon.

Designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes, left fielder Tyler Collins and right fielder J.D. Martinez combined for eight hits, four runs and six RBIs as the Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 6-4 on Sunday afternoon.

The win was the second straight since the Detroit (30-28) snapped an eight-game losing streak on Saturday. The Tigers also won their first series since taking two of three from Oakland between May 25-27.

Now the defending American League Central champs hope they are back on the track.

"Last year he had some adversity too, we had a month where we didn't play really well," said Martinez, the No. 6 batter who was 2-for-4 with a run. "There's much too much talent in this clubhouse for this to be our team.

"This series was a good sign for us."

Collins was 3-for-3 with a walk, had an RBI and scored twice, including a tying run on right fielder J.D.Martinez's two-run homer in the sixth.

Cespedes was 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs, including one from an eighth inning homer that provided an insurance run.

Right-hander Alfredo Simon (6-3) picked up his second victory in his last three starts. Right-handed reliever Joakim Soria worked a one-hit, scoreless ninth for his 16th save.

"It seemed like in the second half of the game (Simon’s) split and his cutter really started working," said Tigers manager Brad Ausmus. "The cutter probably the last few innings when he got his strikeouts. He’s given us a quality start pretty much any time out there."

White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija (4-4) took the loss after working 7 1/3 innings.

The Tigers claimed a 1-0 lead in the first as Collins singled to center to bring home first baseman Miguel Cabrera from second with two out.

White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia replied in the bottom of the inning with his sixth home run of the season. His two-out shot to center on Simon's 2-1 pitch brought home designated hitter Jose Abreu and first baseman Adam LaRoche for a 3-1 White Sox lead.

Center fielder Adam Eaton's second-inning triple down the third base line brought home second baseman Carlos Sanchez for a 4-1 Chicago lead.

But after that, Simon was pretty much in control of White Sox (25-30).

"He just shut us down," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "You have to be a little more selective and make things happen but you also have to capitalize."

Collins tripled with one out in the fourth and scored on Martinez's single to center to cut the White Sox lead to 4-2.

The Tigers took a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning thanks to a pair of two-out home runs off Samardzija.

Cespedes sent a 1-0 pitch to right for a solo home run. Collins followed with single to center soared on Martinez’s homer to center, his second of the season.

Martinez's eighth inning single scored Cespedes from third and chased Samardzija.

The White Sox starter gave up six runs on 10 hits, walked one and struck out five in his second straight loss and fourth in their last six games.

"The cutter was good, all the pitches were pretty good," Samardzija said. "They put a couple over the fence. That was the difference. We keep those in the park, get a couple outs there, it's a different game. That's the story – two homers."

Simon allowed four runs on five hits, struck out seven and walked a pair over eighth innings, his longest outing since working eight on May 15 in a 1-0 victory at Pittsburgh.

Cabrera, who went 0-for-3 but reached on a base on balls, saw his on-base streak reach 26 with a first-inning walk from Samardzija.

NOTES: Tigers RHP Justin Verlander struck out nine and allowed one earned run on five hits in a 5 2/3-inning rehab start at Toledo on Saturday. ... It was a tougher outing