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Cal Ripken Jr. tells TMZ ... his mother is "doing well" after she thwarted a gun-toting bad guy who allegedly tried to jack her car in a bank parking lot in Maryland.

Cops say Violet Ripken was held up at gunpoint on Tuesday afternoon -- but calmly pressed the panic button on her car key and scared the guy away. The suspect was later arrested after cops obtained a photo of the suspect from a nearby ATM.

Scary stuff ... but last night outside Madeo in L.A. -- where Cal was having dinner with fellow Orioles legend Eddie Murray -- Ripken told us his mom is on the mend after the frightening encounter ... her second incident with a gunman in 2 years.