The final scoreline was flattering on the Wearsiders with the visitors playing their part in a goal-laden match.
Neither boss was too impressed with the way their charges defended, but Steve Bruce will definitely be the happier of the two.
The Wearsiders went in front on eight minutes as Karl Henry conceded a soft penalty, sticking out his leg as Darren Bent jinked his way into the 18-yard box.
Referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot and Bent stepped up to drill a low ball into the net.
The visitors refused to let their heads drop and tried to take the game to the hosts, their positive approach seeing them finish the first half the brighter of the two sides.
Both teams tried to get forward as often as possible, but far too often the final ball went astray.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as they found themselves 2-0 down just a minute into the second half.
This time Christophe Berra hung out a leg and again Bent went down under the challenge. Both this one and the foul in the first half merited penalties, but they were soft ones to concede.
Bent unselfishly handed the penalty taking duties to partner Kenwyne Jones and the big striker stepped to drill the ball to the right of Wayne Hennessy.
Wolves still refused to let their heads drop and battled their way back into the game.
The visitors pulled a goal back on 50 minutes through a stroke of luck. Berra's shot was pushed away by Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon, but it bounced off John Mensah and into the net.
Wolves were back on level terms just five minutes later in bizarre fashion.
Kieran Richardson decided play a back pass, which resembled a shot back towards his own goal.
Gordon had no choice but to make the save and concede a free-kick for handling the back pass.
The initial free-kick hit the wall, but the ball fell kindly for Kevin Doyle who fired in to make it 2-2.
It looked like Wolves would make the hosts pay for their errors as they pushed forward, but Sunderland went back in front on 69 minutes as Bent chested the ball down for Jones, who took a touch and fired in from the edge of the area.
Any hopes Wolves had of getting back on level terms went out of the window as the Wearsiders went 4-2 up on 73 minutes.
Bent's shot was deflected off the boot of Michael Mancienne and past Hennessey and into the net.
The Black Cats rounded of the scoring in time added on at the end of the 90 minutes as Michael Turner headed home Andy Reid's corner.
The final scoreline was harsh on Wolves and flattering on a Sunderland side, who few could argue ran out deserved winners at the end, even if not by such a big margin.