Baseball’s TV Ratings Dip Slightly In Game 2s

Ratings for the second night of the baseball playoffs fell 4 percent from Game 1.

Regionalized coverage of the A.L. and N.L. games Wednesday night got a 14.0 rating, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday, down from the 14.6 for the openers.

The Indians’ 5-2 victory over the Mariners got a 47.5 rating in Seattle, a little less than the 47.9 for Game 1. The broadcast on ABC attracted a 72 share.

In Cleveland, the game got a 53.3 rating, up from the 45.8 rating for Game 1. Wednesday night’s game got a 72 share in Cleveland.

The rating is the percentage of televisions in the market watching a program and the share is the percentage tuned in among those televisions on at the time.

The Braves’ 6-2, 10-inning victory over Cincinnati got a 34.5 rating in Atlanta, up from a 30.2 for Game 1. In Cincinnati, the game received a 30.4 rating, down from a 31.6.

Two years ago, prime-time playoff games averaged an 11.8 rating.