Steve Putnam walked into the restroom at Progressive Field in Cleveland after the Indians had just blown a lead in the second game of a day-night doubleheader. More specifically, his son, Zach Putnam, had blown the lead.

When the former Pioneer High School and University of Michigan pitcher entered the game in the seventh inning, Cleveland led 4-3. Three hits, two runs and just one out later, Indians manager Manny Acta pulled him.

Cleveland went on to lose 5-4, Putnam -- who’d been called up from the Columbus Clippers, Cleveland’s Triple A affiliate, exactly one week earlier -- was credited with the loss and the Cleveland faithful inside the Progressive Field men’s room were speaking in unflattering terms about the “Michigan Man,” who had cost their beloved Tribe the game.

Zach Putnam was over his head. Belonged back in Columbus. Didn't have what it takes, they said.

Steve Putnam knew this moment was coming. The downside to the public adulation afforded professional athletes' success is the unabashed scrutiny that accompanies failure. He knew he’d have to have thick skin when the inevitable tough outing came, when his son would be the topic du jour of hate-spewing fans, bloggers and call-in radio shows.

But nothing could prepare him for what he heard that day in Cleveland.

“I keep my emotions in check, but to say that it wasn’t a bit unsettling would be to tell you a lie,” Steve said.

Two days later, on Sept. 22, Putnam sat down three consecutive Chicago White Sox batters, and two days after that struck out three of the six Minnesota Twins batters he faced in 1 1/3 innings of middle-relief work and Putnam was credited with his first win of his career.

The ushers at Progressive Field came over and gave Steve a hug. Next to him were Zach's mother, Mary Beth Putnam, and grandfather, Pat McGuire. Mary Beth was in the stands for her first time since Zach's major league call-up.

“It was great. She’s obviously as big a reason as anyone why I’m where I’m at right now, so to have her there and my dad at the same game was really cool,” Putnam said. “That was pretty special, especially pitching at home.”

Strong cup of coffee

In Putnam’s two weeks with Cleveland, there were plenty of welcome-to-the-Majors moments. Putnam’s first cup of coffee was a strong dose.

The first batter he faced, Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, sent a 418-foot home run into the left-center field bleachers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Putnam gave up three hits and prompted a mid-inning conference with Acta before registering his first out.

Then came the first loss and the first win, all in less than 10 days of work for the strong armed right-hander.

“My head was spinning. I had so many things going through my mind,” Putnam said of that first outing. “I was like, 'Damn, this is not how I dreamt it.'"

Though the surreal feeling eventually subsided, having a day at the office in front of tens of thousands of fans isn’t something that’s lost on him.

“Every day it gets a little bit more ... I don’t want to say comfortable, but the transition becomes a little bit easier," Putnam said on Monday, when the Indians opened a three-game series at Detroit's Comerica Park. "But I still kind of have to pinch myself coming in to put on a big league uniform and playing in big league parks.”

Even the rough outings, he took in stride.

“The biggest thing that (Steve Putnam) has always stressed to me, and it’s kind of become my mantra, is just to try and take something from every outing. Whether it be a small thing or whatever, take it in to your next outing so you can learn from it,” Putnam said. “It’s a learning curve, man. It’s a big one, but it’s a learning curve. So I’m trying to learn something every time out and get a little better each time."

Pitching in middle relief, Putnam (6-3, 225 pounds) saw action in eight games, pitching 7.1 innings, with nine strikeouts and a 1-1 record in the majors this season. He gave up 10 hits, five runs, a home run, hit two batters and gave up no walks.

“We always have been high on him and we think he’s going to be a good Major League pitcher,” Acta said. “Those first couple outings, it’s tough for those guys when they come up here, but he bounced back very well.”

Finishing at home

Fittingly, Cleveland wrapped up its season with a three game series in Detroit against the team Putnam grew up cheering for. Putnam maxed out his ticket requests.

On Monday, many of the Putnams' close friends and colleagues came out to Comerica Park to support Zach, including Rick Voll.

Voll had told Steve earlier in the week he wanted to come to the game, but only had Tigers gear to wear. Steve hooked him up with a Cleveland hat, and Voll -- a lifelong Tigers fan -- sported it proudly.

Zach doesn’t expect to see too many Chief Wahoo hats around Ann Arbor when he’s home, but knows he has his share of hometown support.

“This is the hometown team, so I’m going to do my best to try and sway them otherwise, but I think it’s going to be an uphill battle,” he said.

Even Steve sang “root, root, root for the Tigers,” during the seventh inning stretch on Monday. Old habits die hard.

On Tuesday, the Tigers beat Cleveland 10-6, but the hot-hitting Tigers -- who had 42 hits in the series -- went three-up, three down in Putnam's only inning of work.

Steve likened it to having his cake and eating it, too. The following night, the Tigers got to Zach in the season finale, scoring a run on two hits.

Jerry Holley, Putnam’s coach at Pioneer, was in the stands for the series as well, sporting a Pioneer baseball cap and Michigan pullover. Since the call up, Holley said he’s “been a little boy again,” living and dying with every pitch from his former star.

At the first Pioneer football game after Putnam’s promotion, Holley wasn’t hard to spot. He was shaking every hand and accepting the congratulations afforded a coach whose former player makes it to the top of the mountain. Ever the talker, Holley told everyone that would listen about "the hardest working player" he’s ever been around.

When Holley announced the call up at a Pioneer staff meeting, a round of applause broke out. Some teachers stood up to do so.

“That was pretty special,” Holley said.

Holley hasn’t been the only coach reveling in Putnam’s success. So, too, has Michigan coach Rich Maloney.

“When you get a a call and that moment happens, for me, I gotta tell you, it’s something pretty special,” Maloney said.

Maloney pointed out that every step of Putnam’s career ended not only in individual success, but team success, as well. Michigan won three straight Big Ten championships (2006-08) during his tenure. Pioneer won a state championship in his junior season, in 2004, and was the state runner-up when Putnam won the Michigan Mr. Baseball award as a senior. The Clippers won two consecutive Governor’s Cups in his two years with the club.

Maloney hopes to see the same for many years to come.

“I think he should be a guy who has a long career in Major League Baseball,” Maloney said.

Putnam plans on enjoying the ride every step of the way.

“This time here had its ups and downs, but the underlying idea is it’s awesome to be here,” Putnam said. “Any chance I get to contribute and help this team is an awesome moment for me.”

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.