PHILADELPHIA — Game 2 of the World Series was a thud on television.

The Tampa Bays Rays' 4-2 victory Thursday night received an 8.1 fast national rating and 15 share on Fox, the network said today. That is the second-lowest rating for a Series game, ahead of only the 8.0 for the St. Louis Cardinals' 7-2 win over the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 opener.

The first two games averaged an 8.7/14, a 19 percent drop from the 10.8/18 for last year's Boston Red Sox-Colorado Rockies series. Philadelphia's 3-2 win in Wednesday's opener received a 9.2/15.

Still, Fox said it was pleased.

"Game 2 came through to give Fox its best Thursday night rating in seven months, and that comes off Game 1 earning us our best Wednesday night in more than five months," Fox Sports president Ed Goren said. "Now, with the series tied at a game apiece, we're looking forward to interest building as the games continue and the drama unfolds."