Fernandez homers, Venezuela beats Australia 5-2 in LLWS
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) Yeiner Fernandez hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning as Venezuela opened its Little League World Series with a 5-2 victory over Australia on Friday.
Fernandez scored Adrian Sandoval and Felix Vasquez with his opposite-field shot that traveled an estimated 310 feet and nearly hit cars in the Volunteer Stadium parking lot - some 100 feet past the outfield fence that sits 225 feet from home plate.
Australia's Jake Burns hit the game's first home run, a 260-foot shot to left-center in the fourth inning to tie it at 2.
Venezuela scored twice in the top of the third as Luis Castillo doubled home Adrian Sandoval and scored on an infield error.
Venezuela advances to play Uganda on Sunday in a winner's bracket game, while Australia falls into the loser's bracket of this modified double-elimination tournament Saturday vs. the Dominican Republic.