FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -Joe Crede finally got into the swing of things with the Minnesota Twins.

Stuck in a hitting slump since he joined the team last month, Crede went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and two RBIs in Minnesota's 5-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

``Crede had a real good day swinging the bat,' Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

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The Twins signed the former White Sox slugger in February, hoping he could shake off back problems that have plagued him the last two seasons to give the Twins some much needed pop in the middle of the lineup. He had 30 homers and 94 RBIs for the White Sox in 2006 and hit 16 homers before the All-Star break last year, but spent most of the second half of the season on the disabled list.

Crede hit a two-run homer off Mark Hendrickson in the third inning and raised his spring batting average to .185.

Hendrickson, battling for one of three open spots in Baltimore's rotation, gave up two runs and five hits in three innings.

``He threw strikes,' Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said. ``He did OK.'

Twins catchers Mike Redmond and Wilson Ramos each went 1-for-2 with RBI doubles in front of 8,207 fans at Hammond Stadium. Both have been getting plenty of playing time with AL batting champion Joe Mauer sidelined by lower back pain.

Redmond, entering his 12th big league season and fifth with the Twins, usually gets about 30 spring training at_bats to prepare for the regular season. But with 17 exhibition games to go, he already has 22 at_bats. He's hitting .227.

``We don't know what's going to happen with Joe,' Redmond said. ``Obviously, every day we're getting closer to opening day. The season's not going to wait on guys who get hurt or are out.

``So I'm preparing myself to play on opening day.'

The 21-year-old Ramos has yet to play above Class A. He hit .288 with 13 home runs for the Fort Myers Miracle last season, yet he has more at_bats (15) this spring than any of the seven catchers in camp but Redmond.

Jose Morales and Drew Butera have eight and seven at_bats, respectively.

``I wanted to see him,' Gardenhire said of Ramos, who's hitting .333 with two RBIs. ``He's a guy I hadn't seen at all. I had seen Butera and I had seen Morales. But I hadn't seen Ramos.'

Ramos replaced Redmond in the sixth inning and doubled in a run against David Pauley, who is trying to win a rotation spot.

Trembley opted to start Hendrickson instead of Pauley, who gave up two runs and four hits in 1 2-3 innings.

Aubrey Huff and Guillermo Rodriguez homered for the Orioles. Carlos Rojas went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Redmond has averaged 58 games per season. He logged just 38 games last year, when Mauer stayed healthy and won the batting title.

``Last year was basically a year off,' said Redmond, who hit .287 with no homers and 12 RBIs. ``I don't have that much mileage under my belt, because I haven't played that much.'

Redmond caught Phil Humber, who was acquired from the New York Mets in the Johan Santana trade and is out of minor league options. Humber struck out two and didn't allow a hit in two scoreless innings as he chases a long-relief role.

``If I can keep throwing like that, I can have a good shot,' Humber said. ``I feel young. I feel like I still have a lot of learning to do. I don't feel like I'm at the end of my rope.'