Sports Minute: Here is the latest New England sports news from The Associated Press - WFSB 3 Connecticut

Sports Minute: Here is the latest New England sports news from The Associated Press

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BOSTON (AP) - John Lackey gets the start tonight as the Red Sox try to slow down the Cleveland Indians at Fenway tonight. The Indians will send Justin Masterson to the mound, with Masterson seeking his eighth win on the season. The Indians took last night's opener, 12-3

BOSTON (AP) - Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks is considered day to day after he left last night's game against the Indians with lower back spasms in the top of the fifth inning. Middlebrooks was called out on strikes on both his at bats before being replaced by Pedro Ciriaco. Manager John Farrell says the injury is unrelated to his recent rib injury.

BOSTON (AP) - The Celtics have denied the Brooklyn Nets permission to talk with Doc Rivers about the Nets' open head coaching job, according to ESPN. Rivers next season will be in the third year of a 5-year pact to coach the Celtics.

BALTIMORE (AP) - The Patriots have reportedly reached a deal with fourth-round draft pick Josh Boyce. The Baltimore Sun reports the deal for the wide receiver out of TCU totals $2.6 million, including a $477,000 signing bonus.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) - UConn and Notre Dame are the two lone teams remaining undefeated in the Big East baseball tournament in Florida. The Huskies came back from a 7-0 deficit to beat South Florida 8-7 last night to advance to the tournament semifinals. They'll face either Rutgers or USF on Saturday. The Irish await either Pitt or Seton Hall in the other semi.

BANGOR, Maine (AP) - Former Husson College basketball star Dana Wilson has pleaded no contest to a child pornography charge in Bangor. Authorities say the 62-year-old Wilson had videos of young girls engaged in sexual behavior on his computer. Prosecutors expect to recommend he get a six-month jail sentence.

(AP) - While Phil Jackson coached Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles, Jackson says if he had to pick one player to start a franchise with it would be Celtics legend Bill Russell. Jackson tells Time magazine Russell's 11 championships as a player are "really the idea of what excellence is."

TODAY'S NEW ENGLAND SPORTS SCHEDULE:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL:

Cleveland (Masterson 7-2) at Boston (Lackey 2-4), 7:10 p.m.

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