Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek tags the Twins’ Jason Kubel out at home in the third inning of last night’s game. Kubel had tripled in the first inning to drive in the Twins’ first run.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — It’s been 12 years since the Red Sox last won the A.L. East title. During that stretch they have played runner-up to the Yankees, but things changed this season.

First place has been a comfortable position for the Sox this summer, and while the current Red Sox players are waiting to enjoy a bit of bubbly, some former players remembered what it was like the last time around.

In 1995 the Boston roster was filled with such names as Mo Vaughn, Mike Greenwell, Tim Naehring, Mike Macfarlane, Jose Canseco, Luis Alicea, Ken Ryan, Rheal Cormier, Erik Hanson and Tim Wakefield, among many others.

Hanson led the pitching staff with a 15-5 record, followed by Wakefield’s 16-8 mark. Cormier worked in 48 games (12 starts) and posted a 7-5 record in 115 innings pitched. Alicea, now the club’s first-base coach, hit .270 and played an integral part in the team’s success that year.

Also, it was the first time since 1991 the team earned a postseason berth.

“It’s great to be back here and to be part of this,” said Alicea. “It was exciting that year. I remember offensively and defensively we played well. We weren’t expected to do anything that year and we won [the division]. Unfortunately we got swept by Cleveland.”

Alicea said it was an enjoyable experience to win the division in 1995, but that feeling was short-lived because of the quick exit in the postseason.

“Hopefully it will be a different year this year,” he said. “We’re healthy and we’re ready to roll.”

Ryan, a Seekonk native, split time between Boston and Pawtucket that season, but was with the Sox when they clinched the division.

“That was a very unique team as well,” he said. “Everything kind of clicked. It was just a really good year. Everything just came together the same way it is for this team. We used to come from behind late in the game and there was never a doubt during a game that we couldn’t come back and win.

“It was an exciting time,” Ryan added. “When we clinched it the fans went crazy . . . There was a lot of magic there and a lot of hope because we were a very good team. We had a lot of high expectations and everybody was really excited about it. Unfortunately, we got beat three straight by Cleveland.”

The difference between 1995 and 2007 is the contrast in players. This year’s version has deep-rooted postseason experience, including World Series success. That’s something the team over a decade ago did not have on their roster.

“This team has the experience how to win,” said Ryan. “The guys they have, they’re like wolves, they’ve tasted the blood and they want to taste it again. You can’t measure how important that is when you have guys who have been there before and have won it before.”

Youkilis plays in a pinch

First baseman Youkilis, who started Wednesday night for the first time since being hit on the right wrist by a pitch on Sept. 15, was out of the starting lineup again last night. But Francona sent Youkilis to the plate as a pinch-hitter for Kielty with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth. Youkilis struck out on three pitches. Before the game, Francona said Youkilis felt “fatigue in the wrist” late in Wednesday’s game. The manager said Youkilis’ wrist wasn’t sore, but Francona thought it best to hold him out of tonight’s starting lineup. Youkilis, who is being replaced in the lineup by Eric Hinske, was available off the bench.

jmcdonal@projo.com