TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays might have experienced a letdown Monday after winning three of four tense games with the Baltimore Orioles, an American League East rival.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, however, gave the credit to Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff, who pitched six strong innings in Philadelphia's 7-0 win in the opener of an interleague series.

"I mean, their kid was good," Gibbons said. "Over the last couple of years, right-handers with a good breaking ball who can pitch a little bit have been known to give us trouble because we're so right-handed dominant. He had a good breaking ball. He did a nice job."

Eickhoff (4-8) threw 30 sliders among his 106 pitches. He held the Blue Jays to three hits and four walks while striking out five.

"It wasn't the prettiest game by my personal standards, but any time we can put up zeros and keep us in the game, that's my job, and I was real happy to do that," Eickhoff said. "My two-seamer had a lot of movement to it, and I was having trouble throwing that striker down and away. It was kind of tailing off on me."

Odubel Herrera homered and drove in three runs, and Ryan Howard hit a solo homer as the Phillies (30-34) ended a four-game skid while stopping a three-game winning streak by the Blue Jays (35-31).

Toronto starter R.A. Dickey (4-7) allowed five hits, including two home runs that he referred to as "wall scrapers," two walks and three runs in 6 1/3 innings to end his two-game winning streak. The right-handed knuckleballer struck out four.

"You usually don't lose when you give up solo home runs," Dickey said. "I was OK with that. The pitch to Herrera was a poor pitch. The one to Howard not so much, he hit it off the end and it just top-spun right over the wall."

It was a cool, windy night at Rogers Centre with the roof open.

"I felt like I managed the climate fine," Dickey said. "The wind actually I felt was not a hindrance but was more of a help than anything. It was kind of in my face. I threw some knuckleballs that moved very late and violently."

Howard led off the top of the seventh inning with his 10th home run of the season on a 2-0 pitch, a drive to right that gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead.

After recently losing his starting first base job to Tommy Joseph, Howard was used as designated hitter Monday in the interleague game.

Dickey was replaced by Joe Biagini after a one-out walk to Cody Asche in the seventh. Asche stole second as Cesar Hernandez struck out, then scored on a ground-rule double to center by Peter Bourjos that gave Philadelphia a three-run cushion.

Left-hander Aaron Loup replaced Biagini and allowed an RBI single to Herrera.

"(Eickhoff) threw the ball really well," said Bourjos, who had two RBIs. "He got ahead of hitters and put them away. (Dickey) mixed that fastball in there, too, which always makes it a little more challenging. It was moving around pretty good. He was in and out of the zone. It's not easy hitting those guys because you really don't know where the ball is going to end up."

Drew Storen struck out the side for Toronto in the top of the eighth.

Left-hander Scott Diamond walked the first two Philadelphia batters he faced in the ninth. Hernandez followed with an RBI double, and Bourjos grounded an RBI single to left. Herrera's grounder forced Bourjos out at second as another run scored.

"It was nice to win by seven runs for a change," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "(Eickhoff) wasn't at his best. We've seen him much better than that. (Herrera) is fun to watch. You never know. He could look so bad on two pitches and then hit a home run. He's amazing."

Herrera lined a 2-1 knuckleball to right field with two outs in the third inning for his sixth homer of the season to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. It was the 11th homer of the season allowed by Dickey.

Monday's contest was played on the anniversary of the first interleague game played by either team on June 13, 1997, and it was against each other. The Phillies won 4-3 over the Blue Jays at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

NOTES: The Blue Jays selected the contract LHP Scott Diamond from Buffalo on Monday and optioned LHP/RHP Pat Venditte to the Triple-A club. LHP Franklin Morales (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day disabled list to create a spot on the 40-man roster for Diamond, who was 4-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 12 starts at Buffalo. He will be used in long and middle relief in Toronto. He gave up three runs in one inning Monday night. ... Toronto 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion, who jammed his right index finger stealing third base Sunday, didn't play Monday. ... Toronto RF Jose Bautista (thigh) returned to the lineup as the DH and leadoff hitter Monday after missing three games. He went 1-for-4. ... Phillies 3B Maikel Franco (mild right knee strain) was out of the lineup Monday and is day-to-day. ... Phillies RHP Zach Eflin (major league debut) will face Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (5-2, 2.94 ERA) on Tuesday.