It makes sense to walk a good hitting player (who was 3-3 on the game incidentally) when you have one out with a runner on second. The walk sets up the double play and a force out at third if they want to go that route. It doesn't always work out, but I'd wager that it works more often than not.
"I said 'I don't know whether I'm the boxer or the bag'" - Pearl Jam, "Yellow Ledbetter"