Tony La Russa and Ron Washington
Game 1 of the 2011 World Series, with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and Rangers manager Ron Washington, drew ratings lower than last year's record low. Reuters

Ratings for Game 1 of the 2011 World Series were down from last year, when the average viewership for the series tied a record low.

The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Texas Rangers on Wednesday in Game 1, and Fox drew an 8.7 rating and 14 share, according to The Associated Press. The ratings are down 2 percent from the 8.9 and 15 share on Fox for 2010's Game 1 between the Rangers and the San Francisco Giants. San Francisco, though, has a bigger market than St. Louis.

At the same time, though, Game 1 drew strong local ratings. Fox told The AP on Thursday that the rating in St. Louis was 47.3 with a 66 share, which marks the highest local-market rating for a Game 1 since Boston in 2007, when the Red Sox won the World Series.

Though not as strong, Dallas garnered a 34.2 rating and 51 share, which was up from last year's Game 1.

Ratings are the percentage of all homes with televisions turned on tuned into a specific program. Shares are the percentage of all homes with televisions in use at the time of the program.

In an exciting finish to Game 1, St. Louis' Allen Craig had a pinch-hit, RBI single to lead the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Rangers.

Television ratings for the 2010 World Series matched the lowest ever, with an 8.4 average rating and 14 share. The Giants beat the Rangers in five games.

The 2010 World Series shares the mark with the 2008 Fall Classic between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays.

Last year, the Dallas market averaged a 30.9 rating and 48 share.

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