Wolves showed no signs of their managerial problems in the first period, taking an eighth minute lead through Kenny Miller, but once Liam Lawrence put the home side on level terms just under the hour with a spectacular strike, the final outcome was never in doubt.
Stephen Elliott put Sunderland in the lead in the 68th minute and Lawrence struck again with his third goal in two games to haul the Black Cats up to third in the table, their highest position of the season.
But there was no denying Wolves deserved to be in the lead at the break despite surviving intense pressure. Their defending was sound and their lightening breakaways led to an entertaining match.
Sunderland were stunned in the 18th minute when the visitors swept into the lead, Miller celebrating his return to the Wolves side after missing Saturday's inept defeat at Gillingham through suspension which effectively sealed the fate of Dave Jones.
Mikkel Bischoff slipped the ball inside to Miller who ghosted in behind Steve Caldwell and calmly guided the ball into the bottom corner of Thomas Myhre's left-hand post.
Stung into action, the Black Cats were desperately unlucky not to be on level terms in the 29th minute. Carl Robinson's powerful header from Marcus Stewart's centre was brilliantly pushed onto the bar by Michael Oakes and from Lawrence's corner, Bischoff cleared Stephen Wright's goal-bound header off the line.
The visitors' goal had a charmed life on the stroke of half-time, Oakes saving well from Elliott's close-range effort from a tight angle and Bischoff making another incredible block to deny Julio Arca.
Lawrence put the Black Cats on level terms in the 57th minute, lashing home a spectacular 25-yard drive following good work by Arca and substitute Michael Bridges.
Elliott missed a great chance but quickly made amends in the 68th minute, turning swiftly to rattle the ball into the net via the underside of the bar after a clever dribble by Arca.
Arca was again the provider in the 80th minute, crossing hard and low for Lawrence to complete the scoring from close range.