updated 4:52 p.m. ET Nov. 28, 2007

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Cleveland Indians reliever Juan Lara showed some improvement but remained in critical condition Friday, nearly a week after his car crash in the Dominican Republic.

“Juan has showed mild improvement from the lung trauma he suffered in the accident,” said Dashira Martinez, spokesman for Santo Domingo’s Plaza de la Salud hospital.

His condition has not changed otherwise, Martinez said.

The 26-year-old left-hander suffered a fractured spine, severe brain trauma, two broken ribs and a punctured lung in the crash Saturday night. Two others were killed.

Lara had been pitching in the Dominican winter league. Lino Diaz, the Indians’ director of Latin American operations, traveled to the country to check on Lara, but Dominican doctors said his condition was too fragile to risk moving him to a U.S. hospital.

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