Indians pitcher Lara injured in car accident

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cleveland Indians pitcher Juan Lara was seriously hurt in a car accident after a Winter League game this weekend in the Dominican Republic, a spokesman for the American League team told baseball Web site www.mlb.com.

Two people died in the accident Saturday night, and Lara was taken to a Dominican hospital for treatment, according to Indians spokesman Bart Swain.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper quoted an unnamed team spokesman as saying Lara suffered "life-threatening injuries".

Left-handed reliever Lara was stopped in his car at an intersection in San Pedro de Macoris shortly after his Winter League game for Estrellas when a motorcycle slammed into the vehicle, Swain said.

The two people riding the motorcycle were killed.

The 26-year-old Dominican might need to be transported to the United States to have surgery, Swain said.

"We are monitoring the situation closely," said Indians general manager Mark Shapiro told the Plain Dealer. "Our prayers are with Juan and his family."

Lino Diaz, Indians director of Latin American operations, was dispatched to the Dominican Republic to check on Lara's condition, the newspaper reported on it Web site (www.cleveland.com).

Lara, who has been in the Indians organization for nine years and made his major league debut with the Indians in 2006, made one appearance with Cleveland last season while spending most of the year with the team's Triple-A Buffalo affiliate.

For Buffalo, Lara was 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA and two saves in 52 appearances.

(Writing by Larry Fine, editing by Trevor Huggins)