The Black Cats twice hit back from going behind to a Stoke side striving to haul themselves into the play-off shake up.
Stoke took a surprise 22nd minute lead, courtesy of a dreadful mistake by goalkeeper Darren Ward. Leading goal scorer Darel Russell let fly from fully 25 yards and though Ward got both hands to the ball, he allowed the ball to slip from his grasp and roll agonisingly over the line.
The Black Cats, however, were on level terms within a minute from a well-worked move. Grant Leadbitter crossed from the right for David Connolly to lay the ball into the path of Dean Whitehead, who fired home from just inside the area.
Only the outstretched legs of goalkeeper Steve Simonsen denied Tobias Hysen in the 26th minute and the keeper repeated the feat to keep out Leadbitter's powerful drive.
The aerial threat of the lanky pairing up front of Jon Parkin and Mamady Sidibe, however, kept the Black Cats defence at full stretch with Ward keeping out an effort from Parkin.
Stern John missed a great chance to put Sunderland ahead in the 37th minute but with only Simonsen to beat, he lifted his attempted lob shot over the bar.
And how the Black Cats were made to pay with Stoke restoring their lead in time added on, Carl Hoefkens rifling a thundering left-foot drive into the net after controlling Russell's left-wing centre.
Sunderland were forced to reshuffle at the start of the second half with Jonny Evans suffering from double vision after a collision but the introduction of Ross Wallace increased the attacking options
But Stoke more than held firm, Sidibe hitting the base of the post and continually looking dangerous on the break.
But they were eventually denied victory, Leadbitter's left-wing centre was flicked on to Murphy, who crashed home his sixth goal of the campaign.