Tony La Russa Defends Walking Trea Turner on 1-2 Count: 'That Wasn't a Tough Call'

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa called for an intentional walk on Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner on Thursday despite the batter having a 1-2 count with two outs in the top of the sixth inning.

The decision backfired when the next batter, Max Muncy, deposited a three-run homer for a 10-5 lead en route to an 11-9 win.

After the game, LaRussa defended his decision, saying it "wasn't a tough call" and that the choice was made after left-hander Bennett Sousa unleashed a wild pitch to Turner with an 0-2 count.

He also said they had a better matchup with Muncy facing a left-hander despite Turner being down 1-2.

Joe Sheehan, Foolish Baseball and James O'Brien of Jomboy Media broke down the numbers:

The intentional walk decision was the first two-strike IBB of the year:

The White Sox fell to 26-29 after losing their second straight game. The Dodgers (37-20) extended their lead in the National League West to two games.