The Associated Press reports Chicago Cubs OF Reed Johnson had four hits and three RBIs Sunday, Aug. 17.

When given a chance to produce, Johnson has proven himself a very viable everyday option, as he hit .340 in 50 at-bats last month and has gone 16-for-30 (.533) thus far in August. Keep an eye out to see if the veteran outfielder is able to hit his way into more regular playing time down the stretch.

Reed Johnson had four hits, including two doubles, as the Cubs defeated the Marlins 9-2 on Sunday. The game was rolling along and looking like a definite pitcher's duel before the Cubs exploded for eight runs in the seventh inning. Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez each hit two-run doubles and Johnson added a three-run two-bagger. Kosuke Fukudome also hit a sacrifice fly that scored Derrek Lee. Mark DeRosa would then add a run with a sac fly in the ninth that scored Henry Blanco and the Cubs rolled behind solid all-around pitching. Johnson is hitting .314 with 45 RBI in 261 at-bats.

News: Reed Johnson and Alfonso Soriano hit back-to-back homers in the eighth, and the Chicago Cubs escaped with an 8-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The winning rally started when Craig Hansen (0-1) walked Geovany Soto with two outs. Sean Burnett came in, and Johnson drove an 0-2 pitch to left and the celebration started. Soriano gave the fans more to cheer when he sent a 1-2 pitch from Burnett to the seats in left, making it 8-5.

Analysis: Johnson has gone deep twice in his last seven outings. The Cubs have an abundance of outfielders, but manager Lou Piniella continues to work Johnson into the mix. He is a good contact hitter, but doesn't have much power. He remains a low-end NL-only Fantasy option

News: Reed Johnson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in Saturday's win over the Pirates. All three of the hits were singles.

Analysis: Johnson has sandwiched a couple of three hit games around an 0-fer. Manager Lou Piniella is finding ways to keep his bat in the lineup, but since he has little power, Johnson is best left for NL-only Fantasy leagues

Reed Johnson went 3-for-4 with two runs scored as the Cubs topped the Pirates on Saturday afternoon. Johnson hit a double and also stole his fifth base of the season. He would have had a second steal, but new Pirate Andy LaRoche did an excellent job of blocking the base. Geovany Soto also had a nice game for the Cubs, going 1-for-3 with a two-run single.Related: Geovany Soto

Reed Johnson went 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base while scoring two runs in the Cubs 5-1 win over Pittsburgh.Johnson does not get enough regular playing time to have much fantasy value, but his versatility is certainly something that can help major league teams win.

Johnson produced nicely in limited action last month, batting .340 with three doubles, two homers and seven RBIs in just 50 at-bats. The 31-year-old veteran clearly maintains a consistent stick, though his fantasy value will remain limited as long as he's denied regular at-bats in a crowded Cubs outfield.